When a plane is flying mach .70, and behind is one with mach .86, what is ATC doing?

Question

I mean, should the faster one descend 500 ft, and the other one climb 500 ft, so that the faster one can continue?

Answer 1

Usually the faster one will be either slowed down or given vectors to maintain spacing.  It is rare that ATC will give altitude changes, though it does happen.  If the overtake is significant, the faster aircraft may be asked to ascend or descend 2000 feet or more (to maintain proper IFR cruising altitude) and may be allowed to pass the slower aircraft.

Answer 2

once i was flying to NY and an announcement was made:

" We will be delayed as we have to slow down and increase altitude, the passengers on the left, please look below"

There was a concorde!!

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Answer 3

One of them had better change its altitude..fast!! Depends what traffic is in area.

Answer 4

No flight can take place like this, except that some fighters have been asked to chase your hijacked plane. All flights are pre-determined and ATC knows well in advance how many planes are flying in a corridor or in a particular flight path and what is the distance among them as it is one of the jobs of the ATC is keep this distance among the aircrafts by communicating to the pilots.

Answer 5

The conflict can be resolved in a few ways... if nothing else changes the faster aircraft behind will get a speed restriction.

Or, what I have seen on longer flights is the faster one will request an altitude deviation (at least 2000ft in most enroute airspace) to gey by the other aircraft.

Hope this helps answer your question.

Answer 6

Assuming both aircraft are going to the same fix, I would instruct the faster aircraft behind to turn 20 degrees left or right, parallel the course both aircraft are following until separation is established and get the faster aircraft in front.

Answer 7

Ah the old King Air road block in the sky. d**n those 350s can get up there can't they? They sure can take place dr. dingo and they do all the time. He'll probably turn em both unless the jet can climb. Can't descend or climb 500 though. People coming the other way you see.

Answer 8

They will either give one of them a turn or give one another altitude. They won't move them 500' each.  It will depend on what other conflicting traffic the controller has.

Answer 9

actually it goes first come first serve

i dont know how it works but the mach.86 one will just have 2 wait i guess he will have to take the holding pattern

Answer 10

ATC will have the faster plane blow by the slower plane.  That's what's done.

No sequence needs to be maintained.

Answer 11

We can't use 500 feet since 1000 feet is the required separation (as a general rule).  But we can't always use 1000 feet either, since a change of 1000 feet would make you "wrong for direction" or to use the new kinder, gentler FAA terminology, "inappropriate altitude for direction of flight."  Therefore, if I'm going to change someone's altitude it will likely be up or down 2000 feet. The other option is vectors.  If the B350 is in front of a string of faster moving aircraft, he may get moved out of the way, perhaps by being asked to offset his course an appropriate number of miles.  If it's just the two aircraft as originally mentioned, then I would move whichever one is safest and easiest for me.  Perhaps one could simply go direct to the next fix along its route if that provides separation, thus solving the conflict and effectively serving my customer.