Does your company offer you a bonus for saving fuel and reducing block time? I don't mean to be wasteful, but I'm also not gonna break my back and risk an EDCT just to save myself from having to board. Pushing makes sense for everyone involved, unless its going to be hours upon hours.

And for my question: I guess I get most confused by a slowdown and a shortcut, or a maintain 310 and a 30 degree vector for spacing. These two situations seem counterproductive. What would the purpose of either of these be?

I'm paid by the minute...that's just bonus to me.

+1! He consistantly cracks me up.

I'm at a different TRACON (not NY), but I can answer this one -- usually it's done to make space *now* . . . say I need 5 miles in-trail, but I only have 3. Turn the back guy 40 degrees to the left, then back in line when I have the 5 miles I need.

If I were to simply slow the back guy, I'd have to speed him back up to maintain that 5 miles -- otherwise it would increase to 6 or 7 . . . . I once slowed SWA to 170, then tried to pick him back up to 200 -- he did it, but he sounded pretty ****ed about it.

You did WHAT?!

You need to read your manual again!

"Rule #1: Never slow down SWA"

Geeze..

The parallels are too close to allow for simultaneous IFR landings. Even when we run a visual to 4L while running 4R it means departures are getting backed up, so we can only do that for so long.

Landing on Rwy 11 can only be done when its VFR (tower needs to provide visual with the 22L/4R traffic). Another issue is that the rwy 11 localizer goes right through the ILS6 localizer for TEB arrivals (When we land 4R at EWR TEB has to land rwy6), and if we're landing 22L the RWY11 localizer goes right in front of the departure end of MMU rwy 23, so we have to delay MMU departures, sometimes for up to an hour (and boy, do they get ****ed off there), or stagger TEB arrivals to run 11's. Either case....can't land more than 1 rwy in EWR consistently without delaying EWR departures,or TEB arrivals, or MMU departures. You can thank our flustercluck airspace for that.

I am working today from 1500 to 2300 local. Not sure if I'll get there in time. I'll see what I can do. :)

Don't see why that would be a problem. :)

My colleague summed it up nicely. A lot of the zig zagging is done to make small space adjustments now. Ground delays can only acomplish so much because it its nearly impossible to gauge all the different small factors that affect the takeoff time of each individual aircraft. You have to account for aircraft performance, pilot reaction time, company policies, etc. You will never ever get a perfectly spaced sequence just out of gate holds and ground delays. Zig zag in the air, as much as you hate it (we're not fond of it either) its a necessary evil for now. Maybe when the new technology arrives that lets all aircraft talk to each other and control your speeds in the air in unison, maybe it'll be possible.

You guys do an awesome job. I spent some time at Jetlink, & am with DAL now. You guys move tons of metal even with WX, & make it look easy. And as busy as you guys/gals get you're always some of the most pleasant controllers out there. Wish I could say the same for your Washington Center folk. They seem cranky a lot.

I flew the DC9 with NWA, & it was always fun leaving EWR & getting cleared to an intersection(GREKI I think) and having to respond 'Well I love to do that for you Sir, but we are a /Antique. ;)

Response was usually a chuckle followed by 'Fly heading XXX Direct CFB when able'. :D