Narrative:

It became apparent that ATC was more focused on getting a following rj to call us in sight for a visual report. As a result, we were held up at 4000 ft MSL 2-3 NM outside OM (crossing altitude 2400 ft MSL) and not cleared for a visual approach until then, despite calling runway in sight. To add insult to injury, ATC wanted us to hold '170 KIAS to the river.' this would put us below 1000 ft AGL and prohibit us from configuring aircraft for landing (162 KIAS limit speed) per FAA stabilized approach criteria. Told controller I was unable to do 170 KIAS. He wanted to know why and what we could do. I told him we would do what it took to achieve FAA stabilized criteria. Cvg is one of few airports with OM less than 5 NM from threshold. This was another example of arrival rate taking precedence over safety and SOP. Usually, you have to go to atl to find this. Called TRACON upon arrival, idented myself as XXXX pilot liaison, who had worked many yrs with ATC to establish and maintain safe operations including no more than 170 KIAS to dvg. Stabilized approach criteria is an FAA requirement. Person on phone said they would review situation with controller. Approach workload was high, due to excess altitude, light gross weight, clean nature of B757.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC ACTIONS RESULT IN NON STABILIZED APCH FOR B757 LNDG CVG.

Narrative: IT BECAME APPARENT THAT ATC WAS MORE FOCUSED ON GETTING A FOLLOWING RJ TO CALL US IN SIGHT FOR A VISUAL RPT. AS A RESULT, WE WERE HELD UP AT 4000 FT MSL 2-3 NM OUTSIDE OM (XING ALT 2400 FT MSL) AND NOT CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH UNTIL THEN, DESPITE CALLING RWY IN SIGHT. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, ATC WANTED US TO HOLD '170 KIAS TO THE RIVER.' THIS WOULD PUT US BELOW 1000 FT AGL AND PROHIBIT US FROM CONFIGURING ACFT FOR LNDG (162 KIAS LIMIT SPD) PER FAA STABILIZED APCH CRITERIA. TOLD CTLR I WAS UNABLE TO DO 170 KIAS. HE WANTED TO KNOW WHY AND WHAT WE COULD DO. I TOLD HIM WE WOULD DO WHAT IT TOOK TO ACHIEVE FAA STABILIZED CRITERIA. CVG IS ONE OF FEW ARPTS WITH OM LESS THAN 5 NM FROM THRESHOLD. THIS WAS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF ARR RATE TAKING PRECEDENCE OVER SAFETY AND SOP. USUALLY, YOU HAVE TO GO TO ATL TO FIND THIS. CALLED TRACON UPON ARR, IDENTED MYSELF AS XXXX PLT LIAISON, WHO HAD WORKED MANY YRS WITH ATC TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN SAFE OPS INCLUDING NO MORE THAN 170 KIAS TO DVG. STABILIZED APCH CRITERIA IS AN FAA REQUIREMENT. PERSON ON PHONE SAID THEY WOULD REVIEW SIT WITH CTLR. APCH WORKLOAD WAS HIGH, DUE TO EXCESS ALT, LIGHT GROSS WT, CLEAN NATURE OF B757.

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.