I've Wanted to reply to this for a while. With a glass of Aussie CabSav in hand, here goes....
The prime issue here is one of nomenclature: by that I mean Standard Operating
Procedures, as opposed to something like, say, Standard Operating
Practice. I'd also offer that while SOPocedures are written as 'thou shalt', rather than 'thou shalt consider/discus/crm workshop/etc etc, we're not going to get far...
As far as I can see, sound airmanship would dictate extension of surfaces (including the LG), at a speed approaching the minimum appropriate - green dot etc. Sound airmanship, however, would also dictate the use of
all controls in a situation which was, or potentially might become, unstable. Both jet manufacturers seem to have this in mind when they certify controls (including the LG) for use at speeds/altitudes well away from where they might normally be expected during a normal approach-to-land.
Previous posters have also tried to adjudicate between the punters who, when the LG was extended at a higher than usual speed,
'felt the aircraft vibrate; and I thought we were all going to die', and those who, having experienced a smooth but fast approach,
'felt the aircraft stand on its tail; and I thought we were all going to die'.
(The hard man in me says: Leave the aviation to me, and I'll leave the
insert profession or personal circumstance here to you...)
Trying to write these considerations into a 'thou shalt' set of SOProcedures achieves little, apart from offering the Checkie the opportunity to lean across and ask, with that infuriating smile, 'is it
standard to extend the LG at 250kt?' (To which I can only try and think out loud:
'No, but accepting an unstable approach, and accepting a decreased safety margin; or going around and spending another 10 minutes or so on a second approach, with the associated financial penalties to the company; are similarly not standard - so what in your infinite wisdom was the least of those three evils?').
So, my opinion for what it's worth, and especially since I can, and do, phuq it up more often than the worthies on this forum would care to admit:
Good Practice: with F15 at 150kt
Sound Practice: anytime within the limits.
Any phuqing questions....
Rant over!
edited for spelling, grammar, syntax, typesetting, the usual!