Small Transport
Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 38; Flight Crew Total 5900; Flight Crew Type 380
Time Pressure; Workload; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors; Procedure
While on about a 3 mile final approach with clearance to land I was asked to slow to approach speed as the Tower wanted to get a VFR single engine departure out.  This action was not necessary and I advised them we were already at approach speed.  They then needlessly took [what] we feel was a punitive action and forced us to an alternate runway.  We were already fully landing ready; gear down; flaps and slowing to final speeds when this needless demand was put on us.  This action put me and my passenger at risk as anytime you change runways at the last minute these speed changes requirements change the dynamics of the aircraft along with unfamiliar runways come into play.  When we were at the threshold landing on this very small runway; the single engine VFR flight was just lifting off.  All this action by the Controller was risky and completely unwarranted as 30 sec later the single engine aircraft could have departed.  After speaking to the Controller; I gleaned very quickly that they could care less about the safety of flight issues and wasn't willing to listen to what a real pilots concerns were.  We argued and the conversation was over.  I advised on taxi in that I wasn't happy with what they had done; the tower double clicked the mic acknowledging my comment.  He then asked me if I wanted to speak to someone about it and I advised; what good would it really do?  I was never asked to call the Tower and I was the one who decided to speak to them   I suspected a huge defensive posture. They had no excuse and didn't see any wrong action on their part.
A Pilot on final to APA was asked to slow for departing aircraft; but could not because his aircraft was at approach speed so ATC issued a runway change on very short final creating a perceived unsafe situation for the pilot.