So do you want all of us to say "it will be 160 to 5/6" on receipt of the instruction?
Yes please, or better still, tell your ops department to ask for 160 to 5 as a standard for your fleet.
ATC really vectors too short in my opinion in some airports
that does seem to happen a lot at gatwick. aircraft fly round the hold, then get vectored for a 7 or 8 mile final. by then it's too late to use a speed differential to catch up.
I wouldn't know for the airbus. But in the 737 I drop the gear and flaps 15 at approx 5NM and wind the speed back at around 4.6
The gear must be down and locked at 1500ft AAL
You might see this on your screen as reducing early, but the 737 will still be doing 160 at 4NM maybe 5kts slower.
But remember we should be stable at a 1000ft AAL. Thats flap 30 or 40.
I don't see a problem with this but too often they're 140kts AT 5 dme. (and I frequently see the IAS at 5 is maintained until inside 1 mile.
)
BTW Flash2002 if you're given 160 between 7 and 4, when at 10dme you can slow to 160 anywhere between 10 and 7.