lost soul,
and while we are on this subject-- I understand there is a 10knot tolerance on all speed requests?? I have brought this up before but will do again-- does it cause a problem if we 737 drivers use 170 instead of 160 to 4D?? This enables us to keep the gear UP and thus reduce noise and fuel consumption! We will still need to start slowing at about 6.5 miles or 2000 amsl to meet (our) requirement for stabilized flight by 1000amsl.
There's no 10 knot leeway, at least not in the UK as far as I'm aware.
The reference to speed control at heathrow for example can be found in the UK AIP at
EGLL AD 2.22 para 6)b).
It essentially says fly allocated speeds as accurately as possible and please tell ATC (asap) if you want to do something different.
At EGLL we use 2.5nm separation on final regularly and also the bare minimum vortex separation. Not flying the allocated speeds accurately will result in either a loss of radar separation or a loss of vortex separation. One is inconvenient for me, the other could be even more so for you.
But the point is, we can accomodate requests to fly at different speeds (although standardised speed control is required to maximise capacity) to what we'd normally request, we just like to be kept in the loop.
WF.