Narrative:

Approaching on the erlin five RNAV arrival; landing west. Crossed nofiv at 210 KTS per the arrival and 12000 ft. ATC immediately gave us a descent clearance to 7000 ft and told us to set up for a short approach. The descent was initiated using flaps 1 degree and full speed brakes and 210 KTS. Approaching 8000 ft given clearance to 4000 ft. Abeam the OM for runway 26R we slowed to 180 KTS and extended flaps 2 degrees with full speed bakes in anticipation of the right base. As predicted the right turn was issued by ATC who then asked our speed. We replied 180 KTS and were quickly reprimanded for not holding 210 KTS. He explained to us that we needed to descend quickly hence the need for 210 KTS. We were then cleared for the visual and the approach was completed uneventfully although a bit of work was required to assure a stabilized approach. I have flown this same approach a few times and we are usually placed in a situation where a stabilized approach is difficult to achieve. The statement to prepare for a short approach with no other instructions as to speed or anticipated turn point to base is ambiguous. Crews that frequent atl might have the gouge when these approachs are being conducted but those of us who do not are left to guess. I believe this is a setup for unstabilized approachs and their associated hazards. A little more information from ATC as to what to expect would improve this situation as would a note on our commercial pages. The ATC controller's statement about maintaining 210 KTS to expedite the descent is interesting. I do not expect them to know the performance capability of all the aircraft but they should understand that just because the previous aircraft did the approach; that we should be able to as well. The 'bus' does not descend well at 210 KTS; flaps 1 degree and full speed brakes. I attempted to call the TRACON on the phone after the flight. Our operations only had the tower number which I called. The tower said they did not have the TRACON's phone number and that if they did they would not give it to me. That was a first in my career.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW REPORTS BEING ADMONISHED BY ATC FOR SLOWING DURING SLAM DUNK APPROACH TO RUNWAY 26R AT ATL.

Narrative: APCHING ON THE ERLIN FIVE RNAV ARR; LNDG W. CROSSED NOFIV AT 210 KTS PER THE ARR AND 12000 FT. ATC IMMEDIATELY GAVE US A DSCNT CLRNC TO 7000 FT AND TOLD US TO SET UP FOR A SHORT APCH. THE DSCNT WAS INITIATED USING FLAPS 1 DEG AND FULL SPD BRAKES AND 210 KTS. APCHING 8000 FT GIVEN CLRNC TO 4000 FT. ABEAM THE OM FOR RWY 26R WE SLOWED TO 180 KTS AND EXTENDED FLAPS 2 DEGS WITH FULL SPD BAKES IN ANTICIPATION OF THE R BASE. AS PREDICTED THE R TURN WAS ISSUED BY ATC WHO THEN ASKED OUR SPD. WE REPLIED 180 KTS AND WERE QUICKLY REPRIMANDED FOR NOT HOLDING 210 KTS. HE EXPLAINED TO US THAT WE NEEDED TO DSND QUICKLY HENCE THE NEED FOR 210 KTS. WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL AND THE APCH WAS COMPLETED UNEVENTFULLY ALTHOUGH A BIT OF WORK WAS REQUIRED TO ASSURE A STABILIZED APCH. I HAVE FLOWN THIS SAME APCH A FEW TIMES AND WE ARE USUALLY PLACED IN A SITUATION WHERE A STABILIZED APCH IS DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE. THE STATEMENT TO PREPARE FOR A SHORT APCH WITH NO OTHER INSTRUCTIONS AS TO SPD OR ANTICIPATED TURN POINT TO BASE IS AMBIGUOUS. CREWS THAT FREQUENT ATL MIGHT HAVE THE GOUGE WHEN THESE APCHS ARE BEING CONDUCTED BUT THOSE OF US WHO DO NOT ARE LEFT TO GUESS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SETUP FOR UNSTABILIZED APCHS AND THEIR ASSOCIATED HAZARDS. A LITTLE MORE INFO FROM ATC AS TO WHAT TO EXPECT WOULD IMPROVE THIS SITUATION AS WOULD A NOTE ON OUR COMMERCIAL PAGES. THE ATC CTLR'S STATEMENT ABOUT MAINTAINING 210 KTS TO EXPEDITE THE DSCNT IS INTERESTING. I DO NOT EXPECT THEM TO KNOW THE PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY OF ALL THE ACFT BUT THEY SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT JUST BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS ACFT DID THE APCH; THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO AS WELL. THE 'BUS' DOES NOT DSND WELL AT 210 KTS; FLAPS 1 DEG AND FULL SPD BRAKES. I ATTEMPTED TO CALL THE TRACON ON THE PHONE AFTER THE FLT. OUR OPS ONLY HAD THE TWR NUMBER WHICH I CALLED. THE TWR SAID THEY DID NOT HAVE THE TRACON'S PHONE NUMBER AND THAT IF THEY DID THEY WOULD NOT GIVE IT TO ME. THAT WAS A FIRST IN MY CAREER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.