SWA speed control in ATL

[XJ-spartacus]

We use vertical speed because small tweaks to the vs doesn't make grandma puke in the back like watching a 300 try to catch the speed.

Spartacus

 

[acaTerry]

Yes, that's the problem. Those nasty auto throttles. You know this new fangled technology that ALL the other airlines use is wrong.

Autothrottles let us get nearly ref-10 last night (calm winds, gusting to light and variable)...we gave them plenty of time to unf$ck themselves. I know that its really hard to lift those arms up there but sometimes you just gotta be a pilot. Or are some of you uncertain in your abilities?

 

[PCL_128]

Sounds like you should have written up that autothrottle. No reason for it to do that in calm winds.

 

[EngineThunder]

Sounds like you should have written up that autothrottle. No reason for it to do that in calm winds.

Great advice former FO obvious. Gulfstream teach you that?

 

[Dodge4SRT]

What is it with Southwest and the V/S usage for descents? I jumpseat a lot on SW and could never figure out why guys use that thing so much, tweaking it all the time to try to get idle and airspeed. Level Change works great, try it sometime.

I don't work for WN but I'm guessing using V/S is a smoother descent maybe. If they aren't doing it for that, then I don't know why. Preference maybe.

 

[gt1900]

Hate to tell Ya this boys, but the controllers hate RSW across the board! The only difference is other controllers have learned to simply assign speeds because they know RSW likes to do their own thing..... When someone tells me to expect a short approach, it means they want to get me in FAST!!! That does NOT mean slow down. It means GET DOWN fast and go FAST!! No wonder the ATL controllers had to show up to the Ops Day in ATL to tell the RSW guys how to fly their airplanes!

 

[redflyer65]

Did you use speed brakes with flaps out at the Tran?

 

[gt1900]

It's not about speed brakes and flaps. It's about doing the speed ATC tells you and getting your Azz down. If your doing 220kias on down wind and ATC says get down, flaps 5 and point the nose over. If you need gear, throw the gear! What you DONT do is slow to 180 at flaps 5 and leasurely come down. ATC can't turn you on the base until your below 5000ft. If they have a gap for you, and you don't get down, you don't get to fill that gap. You will then get sequenced when they get to you. And trust me, in ATL, that can take a while.

 

[HowardBorden]

Hate to tell Ya this boys, but the controllers hate RSW across the board! The only difference is other controllers have learned to simply assign speeds because they know RSW likes to do their own thing..... When someone tells me to expect a short approach, it means they want to get me in FAST!!! That does NOT mean slow down. It means GET DOWN fast and go FAST!! No wonder the ATL controllers had to show up to the Ops Day in ATL to tell the RSW guys how to fly their airplanes!

When an Atlanta controller tells me "expect short approach" I expect a 10 to 12 mile final. At most other airports it means something different but since the phrase is not in the Pilot/Controller Glossary it is a somewhat grey area.

Without a speed assignment via a STAR or controller instruction everyone is doing their own thing, it's called piloting.

Expect short approach does not relieve you of your speed assignment, if given one, so in reality you shouldn't speed up or slow down but maintain the speed which was assigned. Expect short approach does not mean GO FAST!!

 

[freightdogfred]

When an Atlanta controller tells me "expect short approach" I expect a 10 to 12 mile final.

Therein lies the problem. Cut that in half you'll be right