Gday Amber,
We usually have the Dash crews calling visual at 30 miles and half the jets not calling visual until on base.
Local knowledge and also different performance probably plays are part in that.
This is a hassle as I am actually sitting in ML centre and only getting updates on the weather from my capable colleagues in CB tower.
I'm sweating on you getting visual as #1
Not a regular visitor to CBR, but I see that the only true visual approach is for non-jets, the Bungo via Endor. Unless you cut jets in short if they call Visual, would they not be following the STARs, which all go to/via an instrument approach?
Theoretically it is a pilot responsibility to stay above the steps on a visual approach.
Precisely why I defer calling Visual until later, especially if I am at an unfamiliar airfield. I can't set the CTA steps into the FMS and I don't believe that I should have a TAC chart out trying to make my jet conform with too-steep CTA steps in this day and age. If that annoys the system, then so be it. There should be a wholesale revamp/reform of the CTA steps around Australia as jets no longer drop out of the sky. It bewilders me that, at my home base, the amount of extra workload on pilots and controllers alike because of inappropriate steps is tolerated by AsA.
One of our major customers told us in writing a couple of years ago that if they were early on their schedule they would fly econ, if they were on time they would fly profile and if they were late they would fly fast.
WTF???
We don't know where you are reference your company schedule so have no idea what speeds you are doing unless we ask.
Communication problem for the AsA headshed methinks. Our company has a standard speed and given that aircraft have to fit into a system that has other users, it is reasonable that they also have a standard speed.
Untold times bus crews have advised that they can't make a FF time[think they will be later] only to have them sail through the ff early.
I'm not flaming here.
I just think there is a limitation with the FMS and we take it into account.
My aircraft is different but the FMS is the same type. From where I sit, it's a POP to hit a feeder fix time on the dot provided we're given enough warning.
With 5-20 different aircraft types in the mix flying different profiles even in the same company it is usually 'organised mayhem'
Selfish operators with no regard for the other people/operators in the system.
Metron will sort them out.
Enjoy the cricket.