approach controlers

[alexban]

Hy .Can you tell me please what will be the separation for the approach ,and also when we'll expect to be changed with tower during an ILS approach at the following airports:
ATH,BCN,BRU,BUD,DXB,FRA,IST,LCA,LHR,MAD,MXP,MUC,CDG,FCO,TLV, SKG,VIE.

the plane is a medium jet,like B737.
Thks Brgds
Alex

[Gonzo]

At LHR, expect to be transferred to tower shortly after you've established, usually with 160kts to 4DME, though if you ask early enough, my colleagues can easily allow 170kts to 5DME If it's quiet you might be kept on Director's frequency for a minute or two at higher speed to get minimum spacing behind the one ahead.

In a 737, you'll be 5 miles behind a heavy, 4 miles behind a 757, and between 2.5-3 miles behind anything else.

[sand-snow-ATCO]

Hi Alexban,

Spacing in APP does vary from country to country, even from airport to airport.

ICAO does state, that if you have MRT (Multi Radar Tracking) you can reduce APP Seperation to 3NM within 20NM of the Approch Radar, otherwise it is 5NM. Certain places allow you to reduce this seperation to 2.5NM on final approach , within 10NM from touchdown as long as there are certain facts assured e.g. Wake Turbulance Categories, reasonable assurance preceeding will vacate the Runway etc. etc.

Since these sort of rules are handled differently at different airports and countries, you will most likely find yourself being a bit confused by the local procedures! If you're flying into ZRH, GVA etc., you'll get 3NM seperation and flying into DXB you'll get 5NM (as long as there is no director or finals controller, otherwise it can be reduced to 3NM). Having have said that these rules do tend to change once in a while and therefore e.g. DXB is about to change back to 3NM for all approach control sectors within 40 miles radius.

Another thing to keep in mind. Wake Turbulance Categories also vary in different countries. ICAO basically only foresees Light, Medium and Heavy. Other countries also know Small and even Lower-Medium and Upper-Medium. So to make things even more confusing, flying a 737 you can very well be 2.5 miles behind someone on final approach (Small or Medium & Light) at one airport but be put 5 miles behind the same aircraft at another airport. Again only due to the local restrictions.

ZRH/GVA:
Boeing 737 behind: Heavy (incl. B757) 5NM, Medium 3NM, Small 3NM, Light 3NM

DXB:
Boeing 737 behind: Heavy (incl. B757) 5NM, Medium 3NM, Light 3NM

Having have said that, you will also find that procedures in the Middle East tend to be more restrictive e.g. DXB needs full runway seperation (4000m) between a takeoff and a landing even though ICAO states reduced RWY seperation of 2'500m is sufficient! Exactly because of such local procedures, does the final approach spacing need to be increased at times! (especially working single rwy ops).

Sorry for such a long and confusing description, hoped it helped though :rolleyes: