madcow99
18th May 2007, 05:35
A comment regarding Macau arrivals. I currently work for a Macau based operator as an fo and have a comment to make about the so called Early left turn. From the IAF at 11000ft we are normally cleared to 3000ft. One of the techniques used to perform the early turn is to start configuring the aircraft. This involves reducing speed for 2 reasons one is to extend flaps to increase the rate of descent as we have reduced our track miles by turning early and the other is to keep the turn radius tight enough that we don’t go through the localizer as we come out of the turn. At certain times of the year there is up to 25kts tailwind in the turn and so speed must be reduced further in this case. In any case the Jeppesen approach plate states 190kts MAX during turns. Normally the crews will position the aircraft to be at minimum clean speed over the IAF at 11000ft. I have been quite disturbed recently by the comments of a controller who cleared us high speed on the arrival number 1. When we started to reduce speed approaching the IAF he asked us our speed and when I told him “reducing through 200kts” I was subjected to a tirade of offensive comments as to why we were reducing when he had cleared us high speed number 1. I was the pilot non flying in these cases i.e. doing the radio but didn’t see anything wrong in what the Skipper was doing. I don’t see how we can land faster in Macau by going high speed with the nose of the aircraft pointed in the opposite direction. There is no time to get into a discussion on the radio during this phase of flight, the cockpit is sterile and the PF is asking for checklists and a/c configuration changes plus I believe it would be unprofessional for me to do so. This is not the first time this has occurred now and the reason I’m writing this post is not to point the finger at anyone but to try to improve understanding between controllers and pilots with regard to this procedure. I hope that next time there is some form of misunderstanding we can communicate after the flight. I would be more than happy to do so. I believe that HKG ATC are a great bunch for the most part, overworked and underpaid and yes I have been to CLK Tower on a visit.