Narrative:

Conditions were night VMC. Descending on the powder 2 arrival we were given vectors for runway 35L. Traffic was a B727 straight in to runway 35L sequenced behind us. They were assigned 190 KTS. We reported the runway in sight and given direct dymon. ATC asked us our indicated airspeed, we replied 180 KIAS. ATC told us to maintain that airspeed and cleared us for the visual to runway 35L. In the vicinity of dymon we began to decelerate and configure the aircraft for landing. We contacted the tower at dymon. At 1000 ft radar altitude, tower asked us if we could increase our speed. Since we were stabilized at our target airspeed, we replied negative. A few seconds later, tower asked us to exit the runway at the first high speed. We replied affirmative and exited the runway at the first high speed taxiway. We contacted ground control and were given a phone number to call. We could not recall any problems during the arrival, approach, or landing and had complied with all ATC requests. Upon calling that phone number, the approach controller told me that we had begun to decelerate 1 mi prior to dymon and that if we were unable to comply with an ATC clearance to say 'unable.' we were at 180 KTS, our target airspeed for our weight was 130 KTS. Dymon is 4.5 mi to the runway at 1496 ft AGL. Our fom requires the aircraft to be stabilized (on airspeed, GS, flaps in landing confign, gear down, engines spooled up) by 500 ft VMC, 1000 ft IMC. Since dymon is 4.5 mi from the runway at 1496 ft AGL and the approach took place at night, I decided to have my aircraft configured and stabilized by 1000 ft. I informed the controller that we had these parameters to abide by. The controller replied that they were unfamiliar with the rules that govern how flcs operate their aircraft. In summary, we complied with all ATC instructions and company requirements. I exercised sound judgement in configuring my aircraft for the conditions. ATC was wrong to ask for a higher airspeed at 1000 ft radar altitude and to exit the runway at the last min. ATC personnel should be aware, to some degree, of the performance characteristics of aircraft and the operating policies that air crews must observe while operating their aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC CTLR ASKED B737 CREW TO MAINTAIN 180 KIAS. CREW REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE. JUST BEFORE THE APCH FIX, THE CREW SLOWED TO 130 KIAS.

Narrative: CONDITIONS WERE NIGHT VMC. DSNDING ON THE POWDER 2 ARR WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS FOR RWY 35L. TFC WAS A B727 STRAIGHT IN TO RWY 35L SEQUENCED BEHIND US. THEY WERE ASSIGNED 190 KTS. WE RPTED THE RWY IN SIGHT AND GIVEN DIRECT DYMON. ATC ASKED US OUR INDICATED AIRSPD, WE REPLIED 180 KIAS. ATC TOLD US TO MAINTAIN THAT AIRSPD AND CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 35L. IN THE VICINITY OF DYMON WE BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND CONFIGURE THE ACFT FOR LNDG. WE CONTACTED THE TWR AT DYMON. AT 1000 FT RADAR ALT, TWR ASKED US IF WE COULD INCREASE OUR SPD. SINCE WE WERE STABILIZED AT OUR TARGET AIRSPD, WE REPLIED NEGATIVE. A FEW SECONDS LATER, TWR ASKED US TO EXIT THE RWY AT THE FIRST HIGH SPD. WE REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE AND EXITED THE RWY AT THE FIRST HIGH SPD TXWY. WE CONTACTED GND CTL AND WERE GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL. WE COULD NOT RECALL ANY PROBS DURING THE ARR, APCH, OR LNDG AND HAD COMPLIED WITH ALL ATC REQUESTS. UPON CALLING THAT PHONE NUMBER, THE APCH CTLR TOLD ME THAT WE HAD BEGUN TO DECELERATE 1 MI PRIOR TO DYMON AND THAT IF WE WERE UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH AN ATC CLRNC TO SAY 'UNABLE.' WE WERE AT 180 KTS, OUR TARGET AIRSPD FOR OUR WT WAS 130 KTS. DYMON IS 4.5 MI TO THE RWY AT 1496 FT AGL. OUR FOM REQUIRES THE ACFT TO BE STABILIZED (ON AIRSPD, GS, FLAPS IN LNDG CONFIGN, GEAR DOWN, ENGS SPOOLED UP) BY 500 FT VMC, 1000 FT IMC. SINCE DYMON IS 4.5 MI FROM THE RWY AT 1496 FT AGL AND THE APCH TOOK PLACE AT NIGHT, I DECIDED TO HAVE MY ACFT CONFIGURED AND STABILIZED BY 1000 FT. I INFORMED THE CTLR THAT WE HAD THESE PARAMETERS TO ABIDE BY. THE CTLR REPLIED THAT THEY WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE RULES THAT GOVERN HOW FLCS OPERATE THEIR ACFT. IN SUMMARY, WE COMPLIED WITH ALL ATC INSTRUCTIONS AND COMPANY REQUIREMENTS. I EXERCISED SOUND JUDGEMENT IN CONFIGURING MY ACFT FOR THE CONDITIONS. ATC WAS WRONG TO ASK FOR A HIGHER AIRSPD AT 1000 FT RADAR ALT AND TO EXIT THE RWY AT THE LAST MIN. ATC PERSONNEL SHOULD BE AWARE, TO SOME DEG, OF THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF ACFT AND THE OPERATING POLICIES THAT AIR CREWS MUST OBSERVE WHILE OPERATING THEIR ACFT.

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.