Originally Posted by
Tivoli Vertigo
Do you also expect to be +/- 5 NMs separated to other traffic???
Just fly the speed given!
Aircraft no. 1: 160 kts becomes 155 kts and
Aircraft no. 2: 160 kts becomes 165 kts
No. 2 is 10 kts faster, not a lot but that's 1/2 NM in 3 mins = loss of separation! If you have to space them tight
Tell us your speed (e.g. 170kts) early enough and we'll make it happen some how
Thanks for the answer Tivoli.
This from another ATCO:
"To be very straight, I'd expect you to fly 180 to 10 miles and 160 to 4 miles. If I assign 160, why would you only slow to 170?
Now, to be totally honest, it's hard to tell from my seat if someone assigned 190 for instance is actually flying 190, or 200 or 180 for that matter.
But in the middle of a tight sequence, where everyone's playing nice, assigned and flying the same speed, except for one... guess who gets pulled out if it doesn't work? Or guess who everyone gets to thank when I have to start assigning "final approach speed" 15 miles from the airport?
Now I do realize that there are human factors, fudge factors and everything else involved, but I expect you to fly the assigned speed as closely as you can.
The airport I do approach control for has essentially a single runway, and we are asked to provide gaps for departures by the tower when they need it. This has us slowing aircraft to 170 20 miles out or so, to hold a six mile gap or so with the preceding aircraft who's going to slow drastically once within about 5 miles of the field."
So guys, instead of fudging it by up to 9 knots why don't we help out the ATCOs by telling them exactly what we can do. If EVERYBODY did that then maybe they would start to use 170, 190, 230 when necessary.
Typhoonpilot