Can a pilot 'put his foot down'?
I know that the scheduled departure and arrival times allow some room for a delayed departure not turning into a delayed arrival; but take the following scenario...
Having been at the airport on time, for whatever reason (spurious or otherwise) the plane is mildly delayed, say by 50 minutes leaving the stand.
The crew announce that 'they will make every effort to make up the time lost". Given that civilian aircraft operate in tightly restricted airspace, how much opportunity do pilots have to go a bit a faster that they were originally intending?
Will ATC accommodate the plane that needs to go that bit faster and needs to overtake a slower aircraft in front? Is it possible for aircraft to fly faster anyway. Presumably there are considerations of fuel loading, tankering and fuel burn?
Or is it simply flannel to make passengers feel better.
My regular experience of a flight that is scheduled for 5hrs and 15mins always leaves about 30- 40 mins late and therefore ususally arrives on time. Any later in departure results in a delayed arrival. I wonder if aircraft ever actually take off at the published time. If they did, they would arrive early. Can that really happen?
Last edited by Espada III; 15th Nov 2012 at 16:50.