Cat D Flights

[splitduty]

An aircraft with Cat D authorisation is vectored all round the houses and apparently given no priority when inbound to London City Airport. Added about 20 minutes to the flight. As my somewhat confused and perplexed Pilot friend said, ``why do we bother to go through the Cat D process for no apparent benefit. Inbound from the West we were almost at CLN doing 180Kts-- which didn`t go unnoticed by the pax. ``?
Any comments from ATCO`s in the know?

[Scuzi]

Did you inform the controller of your Cat. D status when you realised you'd be sent via CLN? Did you state that the flight was Category D in the remarks field of the flight plan?

Sometimes the flight category does not make it onto the flight progress strip for any number of reasons which leaves the controller with no clue that your flight is Category D. You should have been given a no delay approach via the standard route of BRAIN - MAYLA - SPEAR....

Even though the "LAM shortcut" happens most of the time when it isn't busy, it's still a shortcut and regardless of the flight category, the standard route is to be expected.

Were you sent on the offload route (CLN - JACKO - TINRA - LOGAN etc..)?

[ATCO Two]

Split Duty,

I was the Thames Radar Controller for your flight yesterday. It was a busy period for both London City and Biggin Hill at the time of your arrival. You were not routed via the offload route but went to SPEAR from the Northwest. You were not delayed unduly, unlike other aircraft that had to hold at SPEAR. I gave you 180kts when you were well West of SPEAR, and this is a standard speed at this range from touchdown when there is a busy sequence going for LCY. I hope this is helpful.

[PPRuNe Radar]

Whilst the category of flight affords you some degree of priority, there is still an overriding need for ATC to provide a safe and expeditious flow of air traffic. Arriving in a busy TMA and expecting the waves to part with everyone else being vectored out of the way is unlikely to happen, since it might result in an overload and hence a degradation in safety levels.

If you were routed via the standard route and vectored and speed controlled as part of a safe and efficient sequence, I think that's perfectly acceptable. If you were vectored out of the way to let someone else in, then it's not.