Preferrential Treatment to Southwest

We had to slow for delta, blue streak, air tran, and tsunami.

I have to slow for FedEx all the time. Heck, in MEM, they'll land with an 8 kt tailwind so FedEx doesn't have to turnaround to taxi to the ramp. I just roll with it. Way too much in life to get worked over. I don't need to add some other guy in a tin can getting priority over me to the list.
 
I repeat the two Commandments of Commercial Aviation:

1. You get paid by the minute.
2. Never eat a crew meal in the dark.

Every minute extra pays me about $3. It all adds up.
 
Mark.......let it go! :)

Take a deep breath and enjoy the view as the 73 goes on by. Like Velo said, we're getting paid by the minute. We'll do what we can to get there safely and on time......if ATC, in their infinite wisdom (slight :sarcasm:) deems it appropriate to let someone else pass us up. Well, so be it. :whatever:
 
I think some part of this can be blamed on lack of consistency with many air carriers with the way they operate in the terminal area. Something that SWA seems to not have an issue with. I can tell you that at our place on the Dash we have a bunch of guys that insist on slowing the aircraft down to about 165 kias or so without being told to do so by ATC 20 miles from the end of the assigned runway despite that line of jets behind us. Which considering we can go 180 to a four mile final, get slowed and stabilized before 1000 TDZE is a little ridiculous in a place like CLT or LGA. So we get constantly cut in front of because controllers expect the worst from us. I suspect many other carriers have the same issue becuase I can't count the number of times I've been told we were closing on an RJ on a five mile final by 40 knots....
 
I think some part of this can be blamed on lack of consistency with many air carriers with the way they operate in the terminal area. Something that SWA seems to not have an issue with. I can tell you that at our place on the Dash we have a bunch of guys that insist on slowing the aircraft down to about 165 kias or so without being told to do so by ATC 20 miles from the end of the assigned runway despite that line of jets behind us. Which considering we can go 180 to a four mile final, get slowed and stabilized before 1000 TDZE is a little ridiculous in a place like CLT or LGA. So we get constantly cut in front of because controllers expect the worst from us. I suspect many other carriers have the same issue becuase I can't count the number of times I've been told we were closing on an RJ on a five mile final by 40 knots....


We fly into CLT behind you guys on Sundays. I haven't done it yet, but I hear it's very frustrating.:) Our Brasilia guys always complain about having to slow to 200kts a hundred miles out going into CLT behind the Dash.:)
 
We fly into CLT behind you guys on Sundays. I haven't done it yet, but I hear it's very frustrating.:) Our Brasilia guys always complain about having to slow to 200kts a hundred miles out going into CLT behind the Dash.:)

Eh, sometimes it's not an a/c thing. I've been slowed to 250 kts 200 miles outside of MEM behind a FedEx MD-11. Wasn't b/c there was a Saab or a slow CRJ in front of us, it was b/c traffic was slamming in from all four corners, and they only have 2 runways to put everyone on. So, they have to slow people down the shuffle the cards into the stack. Normally, we'll get slow to 250 followed by the next controller telling us 300 or better so they can get a guy in behind us.

We've also got some guys that'll slow to 180 when they hit the terminal environment. My personal rule is 250 until I'm 10 miles from the initial approach fix or 15 miles from the airport (depends on if it's an instrument or visual approach), then I'll slow to 200 unless ATC says something different. We can do 250 to the marker, but you've got to be on your game to get it configured for a stabilized approach. If I had a new FO next to me who was flying, I'd have to say "unable" b/c I'd be teaching more than monitoring at that point. If I'm flying, sure, 'cause I can teach and fly at the same time. :)
 
Nah I think it went a little like this.

ATC- "Airline XXXX- what are you indicating?"
Airline "XXXX-200kts"
ATC-"Amflight XXXX what are you indicating?"
Amflight XXXX- "XXXknts"
ATC- "Amflight XXXX slow to 200kts":)
 
I did too until I got bitched at on my fed ride.

Care to elaborate if you're able?

I'm curious to know what a fed thinks you should do in the absence of a speed request by ATC while still 15 miles from the runway. And I'm curious to know what a controller in one of those busy sectors (NYC, ATL, ORD, SoCal etc.) would think of that fed's suggestion!
 
Care to elaborate if you're able?


Was doing 250 on the downwind, and when we were on the ground I got a tongue lashing from the both my check airman in the right seat and the examiner for staying that fast. Said I had to work too hard to slow down and get down, plus ATC had to slow me down. Honestly, I think it's a conflicting message in the training dept. Some say go fast until ATC slows you, some say slow early on your own unless you've been assigned a speed. It DOES make it easier to handle any changes ATC gives you if you slow early. With the new flap speed we have (200 kts for flaps 8/20), you almost have to slow down earlier. If you're in icing trying to keep from getting the blinding yellow caution messages that pop up whenever the temp drops on the wing ducts....it gets to be a handful sometimes.

Honestly, I do find it easier slowing to 200 where I mentioned before, but I don't think I warranted what I got for staying 250 when I did on the fed ride. I passed, so it's water under the bridge.
 
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