Strange I should find this thread......I was going to post something similar myself.Tonight I had 2 aircraft from the same company fly two aircraft in totally different ways.Number one slowed right down "there is a 40 knot headwind here!" Number 2,6 miles behind and catching quickly seemed to be unaffected by the headwind!.Puzzled radar controller
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Do you guys have different rules regarding intermediate approach speeds?
Do you have an SOP regarding WHEN you slow down(except for below FL 100)? .
I ask because as my oppo Atco matic has said we no longer have the benefit of Fam Flights and I have never had the benefit of observing what Go's on! Easy to see what I mean huh?.As an ATCO of quite a few years I am finding it more and more difficult (in the approach environment ) to work out what is a reasonable distance to put between aircraft(I dislike having to use speed control as I prefer the aircraft to fly it's own MOST economical profile) if one flys 75/80 knots faster than the same type ahead. As it turned out the second aircraft had to be given a few extra track miles...no big deal but every little helps.