B737-800
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure
The Captain was flying a VFR approach into Runway 10 at ORD. We were assigned 170-180 KTS to the marker as usual. At the marker; we contacted Tower and he instructed us to slow immediately to final approach speed for departing traffic; as usual. A foreign Heavy was cleared for take off and crept onto the runway. We performed Tower approved S-turns to create spacing and landed safely on Runway 10 after the foreign Heavy finally lifted off. ORD ATC needs to increase spacing for departures; especially a foreign Heavy which takes more time to taxi; spool-up; and reach rotation speed for liftoff. Tower should not expect the landing aircraft to destabilize their approach to create the needed spacing.
Air Carrier landing ORD described the need to S-turn on final to allow time for a heavy departure; the reporter noting ATC should increase spacing of arrivals to allow for departures.