Small Transport
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 278; Flight Crew Total 655; Flight Crew Type 623
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Procedure
We were on approach into Honolulu International Airport. The controller brought us over the mountains from the west and vectored us to the north of the airport. We were told to expect runway 4R; but from experience; we know that if we're vectored north of the airport; the controller wants to set us up for a left downwind for 8L. However; the step-down altitudes we are given leave us much too high for a stabilized approach. Today; the controller descended us to 5;000 ft. MSL and queried if we were going to be able to make the runway. We were on about a 3 mile left base at that point in time. We told the controller that we would require a descent in order to be able to make the runway. The controller then gave us a southerly heading and asked us if we had the airport in sight. We did have a visual of the airport; and when we told the controller this; he immediately cleared us for a visual approach and told us to land on 8L. That required a very steep descent; and when we checked in with the tower; we had to request runway 4L because there was no way we were going to make 8L. We still required a steep descent to get to 4L; and it eventually led to a rough landing; though we did get on the ground safely.This is not the first time that we've been left high on approach. It is common for us to be left at 3;000 ft or 4;000 ft. MSL on a left downwind for 8L and immediately cleared for a visual approach once we report the airport in sight. All of these approaches require descents of at least 1200-1500 feet per minute in an unpressurized aircraft with passengers on board. It's uncomfortable for us as pilots; and it must be exponentially uncomfortable for our passengers. It is unsafe; as it requires these descent rates until we have to flare; and by then; we're already a third to halfway down the runway.In a previous incident; we purposely didn't call the airport in sight until the very last minute. The controller led us through all the step-downs. We were at about 2;000 ft. MSL on a base; which is reasonable; but it's still high for a normal approach. We hadn't called the airport in sight at that point in time; and the controller said something along the lines of; 'do you guys really not have the field in sight yet? What's the deal?' He knew that we were in VMC and was getting quite annoyed that we hadn't called a visual yet; but we didn't want to have to make a steep descent. We called the field in sight after that comment; but it still required a 1500 foot per minute descent; and when we deplaned the passengers; there were a few passengers showing signs of ear discomfort.It isn't all ATC's fault. It is partly our fault for accepting such clearances that put us and our passengers in an unsafe condition. What we should do is request vectors offshore prior to give us time to descend and them time to vector us in rather than having us make steep approaches. However; every approach into Honolulu is different. It could be the exact same route; yet every approach we are assigned is different; and we never know what we are getting until the last minute. If given such a clearance; we could always tell ATC 'unable' and make our request then; but we do sense some animosity from ATC towards our particular operation; and we fear that if we ask for different instructions; we're either going to get yelled at over the radio or told to accept their clearance despite our request and risk getting a violation.Simply put; we don't like making steep approaches. It's uncomfortable and unsafe; but ATC will assign them all the time. And it needs to stop.
A [small transport] pilot comments on HCF TRACON keeping smaller traffic high until last minute and expecting the pilots to make a dive and drive approach within approximately 3 miles from HNL. Report mentions on this day they had to ask for a runway farther away and still had trouble making it due to the required descent angle.