Not quite what I meant Maui but you are quite correct that SOPs are preventing us from maintaining 160 to 4. No matter what legal config you fly you will not lose 20+kts in a 737 700 in 200' on the slope and achieve stability on anything like a regular basis. If you reckon you can then thats poppycock as you would say.
As far I know the company have already flagged the issue some time ago and told the airfields we fly into of our SOPs and told us that there is therefore no need to repetitvely keep telling ATC what we're upto. So we're not being bloody minded for the sake of it. I actively try to help ATC when I can and tell them when I cannot. I will raise the issue again with the training/standards dept though.
For us the hard height is 500' the company want us to aim to be stable by 1000' If you fly in a manner that you know will prevent you being stable at 1000' then you are not aiming to achieve it and breaking the SOP. Do that on a check it would invite criticism. The company keeps stats on fleet and bases which are published as league tables every now and then. So yes the SOPs are tight. The subject of stable approach's is very hot in our outfit as I am sure it is in many others and people have/are summoned to HQ to explain themselves and are treated to extra sims etc. The rest of us see this happen and think no thank you I'll follow the rules.
Personaly I would be quite happy holding 160 to 4 as I believe I can go on to achieve stability at 500' on most days and pick the days I cannot. Its not my choice though and I have to respect that.
Last edited by Ashling; 14th Jun 2007 at 09:20.