West Coast
Also disagree I'm afraid. Like Line up, I have also sent aircraft around for trying to land without the gear, landing at the wrong airfield / on the wrong runway. There are probably several other times I should have but didn't for whatever reason. (Like 4km of runway...)
Just yesterday I listened to a colleague being chastised for checking with a pilot that he was SURE he could get it down...as if it was an insult to his manhood. I'm sorry, but if you can't arrange to be less than 7000ft and 200+ knots at 6 or 7 DME then I'm perfectly entitled to question if it's going to work and that's without starting the "stabilised approach" argument. It is not an insult. It is not a case of being beligerent. We are required to do so and anything less would be grossly unprofessional.
I hope that Some of you aircrew guys (and gals) will start to realise that we don't do such things just to **** you off / to make a point or just because we can. As always, there is method in our madness and a much bigger picture than you can see on your TCAS. If things really have got pear shaped on an approach, I would hope that any pilot worth his salt would bite the bullet, initiate a go-around, and try again. Frankly, from my side, I have much more respect for the guy who does that than for the guy who insists on continuing until the situation becomes critical and we're all desperately hoping it doesn't end in tears.
Rant over.
