Speaking of Birmingham...

[svcta]

Why is it that I'm always vectored for the airport at 15 or 20 miles out...only most of the time in a jet and ALWAYS when I'm in something doing 90 knots?

This is just a vent(and a real question), but there's nothing going on between me and the airport that won't be gone by the time my slow a$$ gets there. So, what gives? And please, noone give me the "you don't see the big picture" vit. This happens every time. And every time I end up flying a visual with no other traffic around me.

And it's never a small turn, either. It's like they're setting me up for the old Philly double downwind....and I'm doing 85 or 90! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!


Sigh. I feel better already.

 

[gkrangers]

Maybe the controller is a newbie?

 

[SSDD]

I'm not a controller, but I'll take a stab at it. In order to separate the inbound and outbound airplanes, the controllers will funnel flights through specific areas, or gates. The gates are given names based on navaids, intersections, or geographical points. Pilots usually don't know about them.

From my experience flying in and out of DFW, I figure the arrival gates are NE, SE, SW, and NW. While the departure gates are N, S, E, and W,,,roughly.

I'm sure a controller will give a better explanation.

 

[blzr]

Quit complaining. What's a couple of minutes added to your flight time? I'm sure the controller doesn't have it out for you, o there has to be a reason.

 

[gkrangers]

The sectors are also typically setup to funnel arrivals and departures. So the controller might just be keeping you within his sector instead of handing you off or pointing you out to another, that would expedite your approach...

It is a lot more complex than what you see on a sectional.

 

[katbird]

chances are the controller may have departures to get out and by taking you out a little further, that creates a hole (appropriate spacing) otherwise not there. backing up departures.

 

[willNOTfly4free]

Try flying faster than I ride my bike!!

 

[willNOTfly4free]

In all seriousness, the terminal radar had been down in BHM over the past few months. They had been using center radar which led to increased spacing and long intercepts to final. BTW, what are you flying that only does 85 kts?