Hi Cough! Quite agree with your point, but you are asking for joint decisions on this when we cannot get joint decisions on just about anthing! Look at the London TMA 270kts? The short answer is that those guys 'behind' need to think a bit more about this. I have now become attuned to listening for the c/sign and asking for planned speed if it looks relevant, and it really doesn't add much to my time/fuel. A combination of TCAS, radar, and listening and you can norrmally get the picture. It may be that we are about to enter a new 'era' of fuel planning/cost indices? Maybe you and I should be trying to get the Madrid 'Iberia One' arrival where you whizz past all the 'slower' non-Spanish a/c ahead? However, anything less than warp factor 9 and the schedules I'm operating at the moment fall apart. 'Clackers' would love it
Re Fuel in tanks - yes, from deployed sites, often only full wings (drops empty) and if site so wet that you had to 'vertical' off the pad, a bit less sometimes
. 20 mins airborne on a good day? Not a lot left to back up the odd half mile to the pad when you screw up the decel