B757 crew objected to close spacing behind a B757.

Attributes
ACN	429723
Time
Date	199902
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	429723
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Spacing on final. TRACON informed us we would be following a B757 on final. Turned on runway 14R localizer just outside sexxy. TRACON issued 170 KTS to chstr. Between sexxy and chstr visually appeared to be closing on B757 ahead, and confirmed distance of 3.5 mi on TCASII. I began slowing to 150 KTS and informed TRACON of same. He said 'no, maintain 170 KTS.' I (PNF) told him we were gaining on the B757 ahead and wanted 4 mi spacing. He stated that he could land us at 2.5 mi spacing at this airport and to speed up immediately to 180 KTS. I said we wanted 4 mi spacing and by then the captain had already picked the speed back up to 170 KTS. Controller also said something about speed up to 180 KTS immediately or he would take us off the approach. Captain told him to take us off the approach. At that point, controller took us off approach and said to call TRACON on the ground. Thinking back about the conversation in the air, it is my opinion that the controller believes the spacing requirements for B757 only count at landing. We told him we wanted 4 mi and that was what we needed. As we were taken off approach, I believe no conflict ensued. However, I note on the next approach they spaced another aircraft behind us tight enough that they gave us a lower altitude to intercept and stated this fact to the guy behind that was also questioning his spacing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CREW OBJECTED TO CLOSE SPACING BEHIND A B757.

Narrative: SPACING ON FINAL. TRACON INFORMED US WE WOULD BE FOLLOWING A B757 ON FINAL. TURNED ON RWY 14R LOC JUST OUTSIDE SEXXY. TRACON ISSUED 170 KTS TO CHSTR. BTWN SEXXY AND CHSTR VISUALLY APPEARED TO BE CLOSING ON B757 AHEAD, AND CONFIRMED DISTANCE OF 3.5 MI ON TCASII. I BEGAN SLOWING TO 150 KTS AND INFORMED TRACON OF SAME. HE SAID 'NO, MAINTAIN 170 KTS.' I (PNF) TOLD HIM WE WERE GAINING ON THE B757 AHEAD AND WANTED 4 MI SPACING. HE STATED THAT HE COULD LAND US AT 2.5 MI SPACING AT THIS ARPT AND TO SPD UP IMMEDIATELY TO 180 KTS. I SAID WE WANTED 4 MI SPACING AND BY THEN THE CAPT HAD ALREADY PICKED THE SPD BACK UP TO 170 KTS. CTLR ALSO SAID SOMETHING ABOUT SPD UP TO 180 KTS IMMEDIATELY OR HE WOULD TAKE US OFF THE APCH. CAPT TOLD HIM TO TAKE US OFF THE APCH. AT THAT POINT, CTLR TOOK US OFF APCH AND SAID TO CALL TRACON ON THE GND. THINKING BACK ABOUT THE CONVERSATION IN THE AIR, IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE CTLR BELIEVES THE SPACING REQUIREMENTS FOR B757 ONLY COUNT AT LNDG. WE TOLD HIM WE WANTED 4 MI AND THAT WAS WHAT WE NEEDED. AS WE WERE TAKEN OFF APCH, I BELIEVE NO CONFLICT ENSUED. HOWEVER, I NOTE ON THE NEXT APCH THEY SPACED ANOTHER ACFT BEHIND US TIGHT ENOUGH THAT THEY GAVE US A LOWER ALT TO INTERCEPT AND STATED THIS FACT TO THE GUY BEHIND THAT WAS ALSO QUESTIONING HIS SPACING.

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.