As I typed this I realised how involved it can get depending on Duty runway,traffic mix, and acceptance rates at SY. This is just part of my perspective as a SY arrivals North controller.
ATC are allowed a tolerance from the SY flow of +/- 1 minute on the feeder fix time, i.e Cross Boree/ Yakka at time XX +/- 1 minute. How this tolerance is applied by the arrivals sector can cause headaches for Sy Approach or make it run smoother. Remember this is the ATCs tolerance, not the pilots.
We are planning on the pilot getting it as close to the time as possible. Appreciating that the winds are not always as forecast, and this may throw things out for the FMS.
From the North of SY the jets are usually STAR'ed to go through Boree, and the turbos through Yakka for the Calga STAR. Domestic jets from the North when on 16 or 34 usually are programmed for the shorter runway 16L/34R on the Eastern side as this fits better with the traffic from the South. They will fly to the East and southern arrivals to the West. It makes sense.
Heavies B747, B777, A340, A380, International A330,etc are programmed for the the long runway 16R/ 34L.
The flow system we use computes a landing time from the feeder fix to fly the usual approach path to the runway and and computes backwards. i.e. if the aircraft is going to land at time XX they need to cross the feeder fix at time YY. i.e XX minus the approach path.
What the computer doesn't allow for, to the Arrival controller, is spacing . It does not show the first 2 minutes of delay to the Arrivals controller as it assumes the SY approach controller can stretch them in the terminal area. The arrivals controller can work out whether you can shorten the aircraft up or lenghten them out to work the best sequence into SY, according to the flow.
When we have the mix of jet aircraft for 16L/16R or 34L/34R, MAESTRO (the acronym for the flow tool) doesn't differentiate, it displays that the aircraft for the differing runways need to go through the feeder fix (Boree) at the same time. This is when it gets interesting. Our display can give us feeder fix time which shows the MAESTRO order, and at the click of a mouse, also the runway view which shows us whose landing first. We can then assess who we will make No.1 and No.2,3,4,5, etc through the feeder fix and adjust the time/ spacing to suit.
Depending on the mix with the turbo props , we can also send the domestic jets down through Yakka for the amended Calga STAR to make the sequence work. We do appreciate that domestic jets don't like being pushed down low on this STAR because of the increased fuel burn but we are endeavouring to make the sequence work. We can't send them down the Calga track if we have the slower turbo props as the jets eat them up on descent. ( Personally I love the Dash 8 D's, they hold their own and more against the jets).
When you get the situation that MAESTRO is telling you to put 4 jets through BOREE within 2 minutes (roughly 10-12 miles) , you look at the RWY view and work out the order that they need to be for landing. You then might make the front one a bit earlier and the last one a bit later and hand them off 10 miles between each to SY approach, they then have something to work with.
Also, there is no use in using your +/- 1 minute tolerance to SY if you allow your turbo-prop through Yakka to be 1 minute early and your jet through Boree to be 1 minute late when SY are sequenced to have the jet landing before the turbo-prop on the same runway.
The upshot of all this.
Please get as close to your feeder fix time as you can, and when we muck you about even though you have done everything right in meeting your RTA, it is probably because someone in front ( reduce further/ turn right or left) or someone behind (increase now to 300kts/ track direct to ZZ and buggering up your profile), or maybe me, has stuffed up the feeder fix time.
When you get the "Track to direct to Boree/Yakka , maintain max speed cruise and descent, cancel speed restriction below 10'000ft" We want you to go for it!
P.S. I am always bemused on the very rare occasion that a pilot complains about being held or vectored, that they think I or my colleagues are enjoying holding or vectoring 10 or more aircraft when we could be giving them direct feeder fix/ unrestricted descent and getting them out of our airspace. Anyone who flew into or north of sydney the last 3 afternoon/ evenings will know what I am talking about. Have a nice day.