Uk ATCOs will give 160 to 4 dme....with a +/- 10kts allowed by crews, so likes of Ryanair will fly 170 to 5 dme. Crews are always to tell atc if they are going to be unable to fly a speed before hand. So empty positioning 757 for example will often say on first contact their final approach speed is going to be something low like 120 nots so atc don't get embarrassed with have a pa34 or something catch it up! 170 to 5 works well, gear down approaching 5 miles and speed bleeds off along with rest of flaps. If tail winds etc then probably start gear down earlier, to provide the drag...I'd never ask a plane to do 180 kts or more inside 7 dme, although some aircraft do so when not given speed if they are coming in straight in and have been keeping it up to get the height off, but depends on the aircrAft if they likely to succeed in this.Unstable approaches, lack of track miles information, and the need nowadays to do continous descent approaches mean speed management even more appropriate, runway excursions are the biggest safety risk and killer due to unstable approaches,

You may hear and see or do yourself as pilot the many different ways on flying down a 3 degree glide. The approach to airports are significantly different in countries and it is certainly a difference if you intercept the glide at 3000 or 5000 ft above airport level. 180 to 5 or 160 to 3 miles out is what I have seen often in my flights on jumpseats. From my discussions with ATC, at least in Europe, a 280 to 300 KIAS descent from altitude is very common and the least thing ATC wants are many different speeds on planes in a row on a transition route. My strong believe is that they would go nuts if you as pilot would deviate significantly from those speeds to avoid speed brakes or correct matching the path. There is no one way doing it but I would expect to find a sweetspot for 200 to intercept the LOC, use 180 for a long glide or 160 for a short one and bleed of to Vref on the final 3 miles.

Hi guys, as a real pilot myself (on the bus, and not on the 737), I feel that european ATC is sometimes a bit too pushy on the speeds. Standard is, at least in Europe, 180 to 6, 170 to 5, 160 to 4. Not more, not less. Lot of airports, require you to intercept at 210 and then reduce to 180 when established on LOC, to mantain until 6. Anyways, to make it short... on the Airbus, 180 to 6 is already good, considering that if you have a bit of tailwind you will struggle to slow down anyways... (bare in mind 6nm is more or less, 1800feet AGL...). So I suppose that the 737 will be quite similar. Take care.

Opening all the doors and lowering the air stairs will help slow you down. Just make certain all the tray tables have been stowed prior.

You cannot open doors even if you depressurize aircraft :( Lj. Prodanovic

Opening all the doors and lowering the air stairs will help slow you down. Just make certain all the tray tables have been stowed prior.

LMAO!!

Slowing down from 180 to (Example: VREF 150 knots at Flaps 30) shouldn't be hard at all even with a slippery bird like the NGX. I am usually at 180 knots and Flaps 15 on the glidescope till the inner marker. At the inner marker set speed to 150, lower landing gear and flaps to 30. By the time you hit the runway you will be at the correct speed. With the flaps deployed and gear down the drag should be enough that you won't even need the speed brakes, but they are there if you need em. Don't forget to ARM them before you hit the runway. Of course you can't do this with the MD-11 because once the flaps are down you can't use the speed brake.

Slowing down from 180 to (Example: VREF 150 knots at Flaps 30) shouldn't be hard at all even with a slippery bird like the NGX. I am usually at 180 knots and Flaps 15 on the glidescope till the inner marker. At the inner marker set speed to 150, lower landing gear and flaps to 30. By the time you hit the runway you will be at the correct speed. With the flaps deployed and gear down the drag should be enough that you won't even need the speed brakes, but they are there if you need em. Don't forget to ARM them before you hit the runway. Of course you can't do this with the MD-11 because once the flaps are down you can't use the speed brake.

But if your intentions are to fly the NGX as close as possible to the real thing, the speedbrake must be stowed if using more than flaps 10. Also you should be shooting for the Boeing stable approach criteria.

Speed also falls into the stable approach mix.

Speed also falls into the stable approach mix.

Absolutely

Slowing down from 180 to (Example: VREF 150 knots at Flaps 30) shouldn't be hard at all even with a slippery bird like the NGX. I am usually at 180 knots and Flaps 15 on the glidescope till the inner marker. At the inner marker set speed to 150, lower landing gear and flaps to 30.

I assume you meant OUTER marker not INNER, or you got problems !

I still have trouble when the EEC is commanding a flight idle of >40% N1. in that case, even with flaps 10, gear down, and spoilers in flight detent, it won't slow at all on a 800fpm decent. No problems when it's closer to 30%.

I still have trouble when the EEC is commanding a flight idle of >40% N1. in that case, even with flaps 10, gear down, and spoilers in flight detent, it won't slow at all on a 800fpm decent. No problems when it's closer to 30%.

Use more flaps :)

I still have trouble when the EEC is commanding a flight idle of >40% N1. in that case, even with flaps 10, gear down, and spoilers in flight detent, it won't slow at all on a 800fpm decent. No problems when it's closer to 30%.

I have a friend on the 737-3/400. He says you can descend, you can slow down, but you can't descend and slow down in those birds. Keeping in mind the -800 is even more slippery... I'm loving that sim pilots are finally realizing handling these turbojets isn't all that easy! I'm hating that it's looked at as a "bug".

For me personally if left up to me in the real plane I will be at about 210 knots until intercepting the localizer where I will slow to 180. Usually I will have the flaps out to 10 at 180 on the glide slope. At the outer marker I will lower the gear and go to flaps 15 then add more flaps as we slow and don't have a problem getting configured by 1000 feet. I can usually duplicate this in the simulation too. 180 to the marker is not unrealistic in the real plane and is doable in the simulation.

But if your intentions are to fly the NGX as close as possible to the real thing, the speedbrake must be stowed if using more than flaps 10. Also you should be shooting for the Boeing stable approach criteria.

Your guys ops specs might be different but our only limitation is do not deploy the speed brakes in flight at radio altitudes less than 1000 feet. We don't have a limitation about using them more than flaps 10 though they do really buffet the plane if you do.