Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 250; Flight Crew Total 23000; Flight Crew Type 6000
Distraction; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Procedure; Environment - Non Weather Related
We were cleared from holding at OCK and told to hold 220 KTS which we did; shortly thereafter we heard ATC asking flight behind us in the hold if they could take 27L LOC approach which they accepted. We were vectored for a relatively short EGLL approach slowing to 180 KTS assigned; and then given a heading to intercept the 27R LOC cleared to descend via the glide slope. Shortly thereafter [we were] told to hold 160 KTS to a four mile final. At approximately 5.5 miles we were closing in on the aircraft ahead of us and encountered wake turbulence. I decided to start slowing to prevent further closure and to mitigate the wake turbulence. At 4 mile final we were at 150 KTS IAS with winds aloft at 2;000 FT variable 300 - 330 degrees at 30 to 42 KTS. ATC had not provided adequate spacing and said they had to vector that aircraft off the final. When we landed the Tower Controller ask us if we maintained our speed on final and not knowing what they were getting at; said yes we were; they then said paperwork would 'need to be filed' whatever that means? Because we were close to the Outer Marker and having to aviate; navigate; do landing checklists; we were not talking to Approach Control; we contacted the Tower at the 4 DME final and were not cleared to land until 400-500 FT because the aircraft ahead of us was still on the runway!
Air carrier Captain reported deviating from assigned airspeed on arrival to EGLL when he encountered wake vortex and chose to increase spacing.