With regard to the CDA's into Heathrow, it is not generally par of the course to allocate a CDA from cruise. It is worked out more of a CDA from leaving the hold.
Rororblades,
With respect, tell me something I don't know, but you would have to agree that, as far as possible, the aim is a CDA to minimise noise. And most times it works damned well. The tenor of pilot respect for the efforts of UK NATS is a polar opposite of much pilot opinion on ATC in this country. Airservices isn't all too often referred to Airnoservices for nothing.
As to sequencing into EGLL, the "bedpost" holding points are much derided in Australian ATC circles, where many years of attempting to use far out speed control for sequencing is hopeless and nothing like the "across the fence" sequencing accuracy of EGLL is ever achieved here. For more years than I care to remember, we have not failed to notice the ability of you and your colleagues to handle a a wide variety of traffic, with a wide variety of pilot ability, and still maintain the movement rates you do.
Owen,
Watch you blood pressure, old chap, we wouldn't like you to blow a foooffle valve, you provide too much entertainment. As to any rational contribution to the subject in hand, that is a different matter.
As to the chap who flies around the world, but only ever in A.B,C (I think he said), that is rather miraculous, or more probably, he can't read a Jepp (or equivalent) chart. I'm not going to argue about it, just go get the charts and have a look.
Hint, what is the class of airspace not far off the coast at KLAX, outside the US continental boundary, or say around the coast at Vandenberg, or around Ventura, as described in the US equivalent of the Designates Airspace Handbook ---- and all shown on Jepp charts -- If you understand the charting convention of Jepp. Or the Upper Airspace over India, Pakistan etc. Or much of Africa.??
It's all there for those who want to look.
Tootle pip!!
PS: Its must be 25 years ago, that we ran the first trial of CDA to a nominated touchdown time ( using the onboard FMC predictions) in Brisbane, it was not long after "new" Brisbane opened, and it was very successful ----- but the trail was killed further up the food chain ---- for entirely unmeritorious reasons. Haven't mad much progress since, have we.