"Best forward speed" approaches

Roy Smith writes:

1) Is there any point in practicing any "best forward speed" approaches
besides the ILS?

It doesn't hurt, but as a practical matter, the only time you'll get
"best speed" requests is at a busy airport with lots of jet traffic,
and in that case, it's almost certain that they're flying an ILS.

You can get the request any time you have aircraft with different
approach speeds and the controller packs things in a little too tight.
Besides, while my home airport has two ILS approaches and lots of jet
traffic, the most common preferred runway is 25, which has only NDB
and LOC(BC) approaches.

Not me. Try it some day in VFR conditions. Fly the glide slope (or
VASI) down to 200 AGL at 120 KIAS with the flaps up, then try to land
and see how much runway you use up.

You use *lots* (I've done it a few times under the hood, and once, at
110 kt, in IMC). Fortunately, you often find a 10,000 ft runway on
the end of an ILS, so there's lots to use. With an ILS on a 5000 ft
runway and a low ceiling, I'd say 'unable' to a request to approach
faster than 90 kt.


All the best,


David