I'm not sure if this is a wind-up posting by someone called Roy Hudd, who by the way was also one of the most unfunniest comedians of recent times!
Pilots are reminded to stop at red stop bars because believe it or not, these PROFESSIONAL PILOTS often don't bother!! Yes I know it sounds ridiculous, that in front of you there is a row of 15 red lights at a CAT 1 or CAT 3 hold, but some PROFESSIONAL PILOTS cross them - Why?
Probably the same reason that "Follow the Greens to stand 210" means turn left onto a completely unlit piece of taxiway when the one next to it is all prettily lit up with green centerlight lighting.
The way that "Give way to the aircraft ahead holding on the right side" is interpreted as "It doesn't matter if I hit it with my wing then?"
Sorry Mr Captain, but until that MINORITY of pilots get their act together, then I will continue to protect my ATC licence, other Captains and the travelling public, by spelling out what to do and how to do it.
As for hot and high on approach, just how many range checks do you need before you realise that you may not be able to make a below the glide-path join for the ILS. IF you want more then use the phrase " Could we have a couple of more miles please" and you will ALWAYS get it, as long as you don't ask when you are about to join the localiser at ten miles, otherwise you'll end up getting considerably more. Continous descent is always attempted where and when possible, from Min Stack level usually FL60 or 70, and with a range of 21+ miles should be no problem, but I've sat there and watched the descent from 60 to 5000' be achieved very well but still doing 250+ knots, having been asked some miles back to reduce to 210kts. When further descent is given, the height readout remains stubournly at 5000, only then decreases ever so slowly to 4900, 4800 etc., its painfull to watch at times!. We extend you when we think that this is not going to work, but then the next bloke has to be extended to accomadate you and so on, ending up at busy times to late holding notifictaion and believe me that is not in anybodys interest.
Anyway the Mod may well transfer this post to the ATC ranting section, but at least I hope you'll be a safer pilot in future.
I recommend a visit to any ATC unit to watch and experience for yourself what SOME PROFESSIONAL PILOTS are capable of (Or should it be INCAPABLE of?)
Anyway to keep this on the thread, so to speak, I hear that KLM are to introduce EMB195 onto the afternoon rotatation to Amsterdam during January 2009?
