This Southwest flight needed to slow down to avoid overtaking a smaller aircraft ahead. Captured at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on August 14, 2022.
I like what the controller said there, “Just for the tapes, A5, cross 26R”. The pilot was in the wrong, the controller was very cool about it, and the pilot complied. Very nice job!
The pilot was not in the wrong, he has no obligation to readback the taxi instructions, its just done for safety reasons and in this case, as a courtesy to ATC.
@@Hondaridr58 From a legal standpoint, pilots do not have to readback or even acknowledge a clearance. However, ATC is required to "ensure acknowledgment by the pilot... by using 'Wilco,' 'Roger,' 'Affirmative,' or other words or remarks" according to JO 7110. Additionally, the AIM, which is not regulatory, only asks that pilots acknowledge instructions with their callsign. So yes, specific readbacks such as the one requested are a courtesy, not an obligation. In the interest of safety, it is wise to readback all instructions/clearences, but there are plenty of times where I will simply respond with my tail number.
@@Hondaridr58 Obivously as pilots we read back all instructions.... Im simply saying that the pilot in the video cant be "in the wrong" because there is absolutely nothing in the FAR, JO7110, or the AIM, requiring any type of specific language in readbacks. That tower is just picky and wanted to hear the words 26 which is completely understandable. While the pilot doesn't have to oblidge, it would be foolish not to...
Thank you, HL, for the video. This LAS controller is always spot on; love listening to him. The S-turns aren't so much for slowing down, but rather, simply flying a little extra distance to increase the distance between you and the plane in front of you. Used by pilots and controllers to increase spacing between aircraft in-trail on final. Being too close is sometimes caused by Approach simply sequencing you too close, not slowing down to approach speed quick enough or having mis-matched aircraft on final.
Doing an "S Turn" on final approach is a normal maneuver. We do that anytime spacing is an issue, along with slowing to minimum approach speed. No big deal. More interesting is this video highlights one of the Top Ten ugliest airline paint schemes.
Many reasons. Approach controller didn't assign speeds prior to handing off to tower maybe one. Listening to this recording, the pilot was late checking in due to busy channel ("waiting my turn") so he didn't know the closure rate on traffic ahead. Winds aloft might have been different than those closer to the ground so his ground speed was faster than aircraft ahead. And there are more including pilot error. From my perspective he didn't perform the s-turn to slow down but to gain separation from the aircraft in front. It's not all that uncommon.
Definitely not rare. Used to see them in Reno a lot. That was more due to terrain on visual approaches when they come in higher than they wanted to be. I actually once saw a SWA do a complete 360 at the outer marker for 16R because he was way too high. Passengers had to love that.
