An air carrier first officer complains about the sfo tipp toe visual approach.

Attributes
ACN	277537
Time
Date	199407
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oak airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sfo
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	277537
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1200 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Late after deadhdg 5 plus 00 from atl to lax we preflted in a thorough manner. Takeoff and departure from lax were normal and we were en route to sfo. From preflight, though, it was taking a real effort to get aviation minded after sitting as a passenger. Got clearance and started down. Approach asked if we had field. We said yes, we're cleared to 4000 ft and tipp toe visual to runway 28L both 747 traffic to runway 28R. We were clean 250 KTS. Pulled out speed brakes and propped gear. Attempt to descend and accelerate not encouraging with distance remaining. Couldn't s--turn due to slower and lower 747 to right and no overfly peninsula to left. Got TA and 1 RA on TCASII getting to landing confign, determined there was insufficient distance to make it in. Went around and got reinserted for approach and landing. Sfo approach with restrs and conflicting traffic are potentially dangerous especially when either ATC clrncs and/or pilot responses aren't exactly in sync. Let's knock this nonsense off. Build new runways, expand push cycles or increase number of pushes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FO COMPLAINS ABOUT THE SFO TIPP TOE VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: LATE AFTER DEADHDG 5 PLUS 00 FROM ATL TO LAX WE PREFLTED IN A THOROUGH MANNER. TKOF AND DEP FROM LAX WERE NORMAL AND WE WERE ENRTE TO SFO. FROM PREFLT, THOUGH, IT WAS TAKING A REAL EFFORT TO GET AVIATION MINDED AFTER SITTING AS A PAX. GOT CLRNC AND STARTED DOWN. APCH ASKED IF WE HAD FIELD. WE SAID YES, WE'RE CLRED TO 4000 FT AND TIPP TOE VISUAL TO RWY 28L BOTH 747 TFC TO RWY 28R. WE WERE CLEAN 250 KTS. PULLED OUT SPD BRAKES AND PROPPED GEAR. ATTEMPT TO DSND AND ACCELERATE NOT ENCOURAGING WITH DISTANCE REMAINING. COULDN'T S--TURN DUE TO SLOWER AND LOWER 747 TO R AND NO OVERFLY PENINSULA TO L. GOT TA AND 1 RA ON TCASII GETTING TO LNDG CONFIGN, DETERMINED THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT DISTANCE TO MAKE IT IN. WENT AROUND AND GOT REINSERTED FOR APCH AND LNDG. SFO APCH WITH RESTRS AND CONFLICTING TFC ARE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WHEN EITHER ATC CLRNCS AND/OR PLT RESPONSES AREN'T EXACTLY IN SYNC. LET'S KNOCK THIS NONSENSE OFF. BUILD NEW RWYS, EXPAND PUSH CYCLES OR INCREASE NUMBER OF PUSHES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.