Air carrier reporter complains about being kept high when being vectored for approach into iad.

Attributes
ACN	172541
Time
Date	199103
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
ASRS Report	172541
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Vectored onto final approach in VFR conditions. ATC consistently uses high vector angles to intercept final approach course--in this case, runway 12 ILS. We were told to fly heading of 060 degrees to intercept localizer course of 120 degrees 5 mi from runway threshold. We were told to maintain 3000' until airport in sight. A descent was initiated to accommodate G/south intercept, even though we were not quite on localizer. Due to high intercept angle, localizer was flown through and bracketing was necessary for alignment. This is a constant problem with this facility, even in IFR conditions and should be stopped.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR REPORTER COMPLAINS ABOUT BEING KEPT HIGH WHEN BEING VECTORED FOR APCH INTO IAD.

Narrative: VECTORED ONTO FINAL APCH IN VFR CONDITIONS. ATC CONSISTENTLY USES HIGH VECTOR ANGLES TO INTERCEPT FINAL APCH COURSE--IN THIS CASE, RWY 12 ILS. WE WERE TOLD TO FLY HDG OF 060 DEGS TO INTERCEPT LOC COURSE OF 120 DEGS 5 MI FROM RWY THRESHOLD. WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN 3000' UNTIL ARPT IN SIGHT. A DSNT WAS INITIATED TO ACCOMMODATE G/S INTERCEPT, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE NOT QUITE ON LOC. DUE TO HIGH INTERCEPT ANGLE, LOC WAS FLOWN THROUGH AND BRACKETING WAS NECESSARY FOR ALIGNMENT. THIS IS A CONSTANT PROB WITH THIS FAC, EVEN IN IFR CONDITIONS AND SHOULD BE STOPPED.

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.