G W-H
The need for a widening of the definition seems obvious to me, as the narrow focus applied at LHR makes its application in other arenas difficult. The comments to date would seem to indicate that the level flight segment to be of no consequence to the purpose of a CDA, which for me is efficiency and environment. Efficiency in ATM by way of STARs promulgated that meet system capabilities WRT fuel burn, pax comfort, and low workload (ATC and F/C), whilst environment wins with low emission and noise footprints. If radar vectoring is required, then a close proximation of a STAR profile, or “regular” track followed, and accurate updated distance to go info.
FMS issues seem to be something else, in that there would seem to be an issue of level flight segment for deceleration purposes, as well as the glide slop intercept from beneath.
Trying to develop a global procedure that is realistic and flyable is not easy, and that was the purpose of being less prescriptive. Trying to gather a consensus – well that’s another issue.
Egg sucking grannie? – I am always ready to listen and learn. Keep it comin!