Narrative:

Flight was cleared for ILS runway 28L at pit, maintain 170 KTS to pittz. PIREPS for windshear +/-15 KTS and surface winds 280 degrees at 17 KTS gusting to 23 KTS were given. First officer started to configure aircraft for landing 3 mi from pittz, to be pittz configured for landing. Approach control asked our speed as we approached pittz and we answered 150 KTS. He stated we slowed before pittz. Winds aloft resulted in a 35 KT headwind to exaggerate the problem. More communications on our intentions could have avoided the problem. However, there is a training/safety issue involved here. Like most acrs, when conducting low IFR approachs, training manuals demand to configure aircraft prior to FAF so as to be at the FAF fully configured and on approach speed. Considering the pressures on controllers, it is almost standard practice for them to ask for considerably higher speeds to the FAF, especially at airline hub cities. The answer may be that when an airport is in IMC, the clearance involving speed should read 'maintain 170 KTS till 2 mi from pittz (FAF)' so as to be in concurrence with air carrier training manuals. We are taught to 'train the way we fly, and fly the way we train.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B737-300 SLOWED FOR AN ILS APCH 2 MI PRIOR TO THE FAF CAUSING APCH CTLR TO ADVISE THAT THEY WANTED HIGHER SPD UNTIL THE FAF.

Narrative: FLT WAS CLRED FOR ILS RWY 28L AT PIT, MAINTAIN 170 KTS TO PITTZ. PIREPS FOR WINDSHEAR +/-15 KTS AND SURFACE WINDS 280 DEGS AT 17 KTS GUSTING TO 23 KTS WERE GIVEN. FO STARTED TO CONFIGURE ACFT FOR LNDG 3 MI FROM PITTZ, TO BE PITTZ CONFIGURED FOR LNDG. APCH CTL ASKED OUR SPD AS WE APCHED PITTZ AND WE ANSWERED 150 KTS. HE STATED WE SLOWED BEFORE PITTZ. WINDS ALOFT RESULTED IN A 35 KT HEADWIND TO EXAGGERATE THE PROB. MORE COMS ON OUR INTENTIONS COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE PROB. HOWEVER, THERE IS A TRAINING/SAFETY ISSUE INVOLVED HERE. LIKE MOST ACRS, WHEN CONDUCTING LOW IFR APCHS, TRAINING MANUALS DEMAND TO CONFIGURE ACFT PRIOR TO FAF SO AS TO BE AT THE FAF FULLY CONFIGURED AND ON APCH SPD. CONSIDERING THE PRESSURES ON CTLRS, IT IS ALMOST STANDARD PRACTICE FOR THEM TO ASK FOR CONSIDERABLY HIGHER SPDS TO THE FAF, ESPECIALLY AT AIRLINE HUB CITIES. THE ANSWER MAY BE THAT WHEN AN ARPT IS IN IMC, THE CLRNC INVOLVING SPD SHOULD READ 'MAINTAIN 170 KTS TILL 2 MI FROM PITTZ (FAF)' SO AS TO BE IN CONCURRENCE WITH ACR TRAINING MANUALS. WE ARE TAUGHT TO 'TRAIN THE WAY WE FLY, AND FLY THE WAY WE TRAIN.'

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.