Narrative:

I was being vectored to final for runway 24L at cle. Final controller had to shoehorn me inbtwn faster traffic arriving from the east. My instructions were to maintain 170 KIAS until a 3-5 mi final. I'm flying a piston twin, not a regional jet or airliner. I could do 170 KIAS until a short final, but would damage my engines and lose gear doors when trying to slow down the last 3 mi. Approaching a 6 mi base leg at 7000 ft MSL, the controller asked if I thought I could 'make it from there.' I replied I would try and began slowing the aircraft down for a descent. When it was clear I wasn't going to make it, then began a series (3 or 4) heading and altitude changes in an attempt to get me between traffic and down to the appropriate (visual) approach altitude. The controller issued a descent clearance to 5000 ft, then to 4000 ft. Soon afterward, he issued a descent clearance to 5000 ft. Well, during the multiple altitude and heading changes, I continued my descent to 4000 ft. At 4600 ft MSL, the controller asked me what I was doing and I heard the bell in the background on his open microphone. I climbed back to 5000 ft, he turned me to final and the remainder of the approach and landing was uneventful. I called the supervisor immediately upon landing and was given assurances there was no heartburn over this. I have observed an emerging phenomenon with the increasing advent of so-called regional jets. Controllers, in places like toronto, detroit, cleveland, chicago, etc. Increasingly expect jet-like performance from all arriving traffic. When they ask me if I can do '170 KIAS until a 3-5 mi final,' I reply, 'I can give you 150 KIAS or better.' this has caused consternation on their part. I have been turned off the final in favor of faster traffic on numerous occasions. In my opinion, controllers often think in a box rather than the real 3-DIMENSIONAL world I fly in every day. Expecting every aircraft to 'maintain 170 KIAS until a 3-MI final' is unrealistic and lazy. I will neither damage the aircraft I am flying, nor exhibit bad airmanship (ie, rushing to configure the aircraft or diving to the runway in an attempt to 'make it') to cover the inadequacies of the final controller.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C310 PLT DSNDS BELOW ASSIGNED ALT AND EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING ATC SPD ASSIGNMENTS WITH CLE TRACON.

Narrative: I WAS BEING VECTORED TO FINAL FOR RWY 24L AT CLE. FINAL CTLR HAD TO SHOEHORN ME INBTWN FASTER TFC ARRIVING FROM THE E. MY INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO MAINTAIN 170 KIAS UNTIL A 3-5 MI FINAL. I'M FLYING A PISTON TWIN, NOT A REGIONAL JET OR AIRLINER. I COULD DO 170 KIAS UNTIL A SHORT FINAL, BUT WOULD DAMAGE MY ENGS AND LOSE GEAR DOORS WHEN TRYING TO SLOW DOWN THE LAST 3 MI. APCHING A 6 MI BASE LEG AT 7000 FT MSL, THE CTLR ASKED IF I THOUGHT I COULD 'MAKE IT FROM THERE.' I REPLIED I WOULD TRY AND BEGAN SLOWING THE ACFT DOWN FOR A DSCNT. WHEN IT WAS CLR I WASN'T GOING TO MAKE IT, THEN BEGAN A SERIES (3 OR 4) HDG AND ALT CHANGES IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET ME BTWN TFC AND DOWN TO THE APPROPRIATE (VISUAL) APCH ALT. THE CTLR ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC TO 5000 FT, THEN TO 4000 FT. SOON AFTERWARD, HE ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC TO 5000 FT. WELL, DURING THE MULTIPLE ALT AND HDG CHANGES, I CONTINUED MY DSCNT TO 4000 FT. AT 4600 FT MSL, THE CTLR ASKED ME WHAT I WAS DOING AND I HEARD THE BELL IN THE BACKGROUND ON HIS OPEN MIKE. I CLBED BACK TO 5000 FT, HE TURNED ME TO FINAL AND THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. I CALLED THE SUPVR IMMEDIATELY UPON LNDG AND WAS GIVEN ASSURANCES THERE WAS NO HEARTBURN OVER THIS. I HAVE OBSERVED AN EMERGING PHENOMENON WITH THE INCREASING ADVENT OF SO-CALLED REGIONAL JETS. CTLRS, IN PLACES LIKE TORONTO, DETROIT, CLEVELAND, CHICAGO, ETC. INCREASINGLY EXPECT JET-LIKE PERFORMANCE FROM ALL ARRIVING TFC. WHEN THEY ASK ME IF I CAN DO '170 KIAS UNTIL A 3-5 MI FINAL,' I REPLY, 'I CAN GIVE YOU 150 KIAS OR BETTER.' THIS HAS CAUSED CONSTERNATION ON THEIR PART. I HAVE BEEN TURNED OFF THE FINAL IN FAVOR OF FASTER TFC ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. IN MY OPINION, CTLRS OFTEN THINK IN A BOX RATHER THAN THE REAL 3-DIMENSIONAL WORLD I FLY IN EVERY DAY. EXPECTING EVERY ACFT TO 'MAINTAIN 170 KIAS UNTIL A 3-MI FINAL' IS UNREALISTIC AND LAZY. I WILL NEITHER DAMAGE THE ACFT I AM FLYING, NOR EXHIBIT BAD AIRMANSHIP (IE, RUSHING TO CONFIGURE THE ACFT OR DIVING TO THE RWY IN AN ATTEMPT TO 'MAKE IT') TO COVER THE INADEQUACIES OF THE FINAL CTLR.

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.