It's probably been asked before but do ATC ever ask A/C to increase speed especially the A/C that can go fast. For example the other day OCEAN dept of 07 told to maintain a max of 250kts and 7000 due traffic ahead. This ended up being traffic 7000 feet above us from Macau? (A320) who was actually behind us on TCAS but no doubt had a higher TAS/GS we got a stepped climb & acceleration all the way to ENVAR, we ended up getting there 2min before the said traffic. Now we were in a 744 and could have easily been asked to go fast and simply get out in front.
Weather was not a factor and there wasn't much traffic it was surprisingly quiet.
It just appears that slowing traffic is always the answer for spacing. With the NOTAM regarding slow speed climbs (M0.78) I'd imagine the A320 is one of the A/C for which it's applicable, do ATC consider the A/C type when considering performance a short vector or speed control applied to a 320 would allow the majority of wide body A/C to accelerate away. It's much better for us to have the potential energy of 350kts held low than trying to accelerate from 250kts and also climb.
I still wish ATC would join us on flights around the region so we can hear from you while it's happening.
Cheers.
I felt for the clearance guy the other day he was doing a good job. Unfortunately many crews weren't listening to the fact that the delay was due to HK weather (nothing to do with China) and the fact that it was approximately 2min per A/C delay, so once informed of their number in the sequence they then wasted a call to ask how long the delay was.
