Narrative:

We were vectored to the ILS runway 32L at ord. Approach had slowed us to 190 KTS and we were maintaining 4000 ft. The controller turned us to a heading of 340 degrees and cleared us for the ILS runway 32L, maintain 4000 ft until established. The first officer (PF) armed the autoplt for the ILS. The autoplt captured the GS and began a descent just prior to the localizer being captured. The first officer disconnected the autoplt, shallowed the descent rate, captured the localizer and completed an uneventful ILS runway 32L. We had a similar turn onto runway 14R last month. In both cases the 4000 ft restr until established puts the aircraft well above the GS requiring considerable drag in order to capture the GS from above. I have discussed these with several other capts and we all agree that either a lower altitude should be issued or the aircraft vectored onto the ILS at a greater distance from the final fix. Either of these procedures would result in a smoother transition to the ILS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF B763 RPTS C90 APCH CTLRS ARE VECTORING ACFT AT ASSIGNED SPDS AND HDGS THAT RESULT IN GS INTERCEPT DSCNT PRIOR TO LOC CAPTURE.

Narrative: WE WERE VECTORED TO THE ILS RWY 32L AT ORD. APCH HAD SLOWED US TO 190 KTS AND WE WERE MAINTAINING 4000 FT. THE CTLR TURNED US TO A HDG OF 340 DEGS AND CLRED US FOR THE ILS RWY 32L, MAINTAIN 4000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED. THE FO (PF) ARMED THE AUTOPLT FOR THE ILS. THE AUTOPLT CAPTURED THE GS AND BEGAN A DSCNT JUST PRIOR TO THE LOC BEING CAPTURED. THE FO DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT, SHALLOWED THE DSCNT RATE, CAPTURED THE LOC AND COMPLETED AN UNEVENTFUL ILS RWY 32L. WE HAD A SIMILAR TURN ONTO RWY 14R LAST MONTH. IN BOTH CASES THE 4000 FT RESTR UNTIL ESTABLISHED PUTS THE ACFT WELL ABOVE THE GS REQUIRING CONSIDERABLE DRAG IN ORDER TO CAPTURE THE GS FROM ABOVE. I HAVE DISCUSSED THESE WITH SEVERAL OTHER CAPTS AND WE ALL AGREE THAT EITHER A LOWER ALT SHOULD BE ISSUED OR THE ACFT VECTORED ONTO THE ILS AT A GREATER DISTANCE FROM THE FINAL FIX. EITHER OF THESE PROCS WOULD RESULT IN A SMOOTHER TRANSITION TO THE ILS.

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.