PilotEdge Forums

This isn't a serious frustration...more a question about procedures on PE...

Sometimes when being vectored for approaches I get speed restrictions, with no one around... is this to simulate real world ops? I can understand that but speed is really for sequencing... and if there is no sequence there is no need for a restriction.

If it's because you're vectoring me there's no need either... just add the extra distance onto your turn.... Here in Duluth I've turned an F16 onto final at over 500 kts (not a lie!)... it's not any more difficult... I just do it about 5 miles from final, instead of say 2 miles if the F16 were travelling 200 kts.

Comments?

Hey Ryan,

I think Joe was controlling during your most recent speed reduction. I can see where you're coming from and I can see how it may be annoying if you're the only one in the area and being pulled back. I can't speak for why Joe reduced your speed, but I do have one theory.

I very rarely mess with speeds when sequencing isn't necessary, but the exception to that is if I'm very busy. One down side to working such a large airspace is the amount of back and forth we have to do with our scan. One second we're vectoring to final at SAN, the next we're talking to a departure out of SFO, and then we have to go attend to the guy who just departed GCN. In this example, if that aircraft headed into SAN is doing 240 across the ground, I may not have time to give him his base leg vector, talk to my SFO guy, talk to my GCN guy, then come back and PTAC the SAN guy to the final approach course without him blowing through the localizer. However, if I reduce my SAN guy to 180, that may give me my extra 5-10 seconds that I need to get back to him again before he blows through the localizer.

The absolute worst case scenario for us, with our super-combined sector operations, is if we have multiple aircraft all hitting their PTAC point simultaneously because we can't talk to two aircraft at the same time. Ideally, we want to stagger it so those aircraft are hitting the points where they need to get their PTAC at least 5-10 seconds apart.

*PTAC for those unfamiliar is "Position, Turn, Altitude, Clearance" ie. An approach clearance.

That's a logical explanation - thanks