VISUAL APCH PROCS.

Narrative

I THOUGHT TOUGH; CONFUSING PART OF FLT WAS OVER AFTER GEAR MALFUNCTION ON CLBOUT FROM ATL. ON (STAR) CIVET WERE TOLD TO CONTACT APCH APCHING ARNES. COULDN'T BREAK THROUGH. CTLR WAS IN NEAR CONTINUOUS XMISSIONS. LEVELED OFF AT 10000 FT FINALLY GOT THROUGH; TOLD TO DSND TO 7000 FT BUT MAINTAIN 8000 FT UNTIL 25.0 DME. APCHING 8000 FT WE WERE TOLD ABOUT B747 APCHING FROM S THAT WOULD LAND ON RWY 25R AND TO EXPECT TO FOLLOW THEM. (SHE WAS INDICATING THAT SHE WANTED TO PUT US ON A VISUAL). GOT STEP DOWN IN ALTS TO 5000 FT THEN 4000 FT AND CONTINUOUSLY ASKED ABOUT TFC WHICH WAS NOT VISIBLE. AT APPROX 15 MI WE WERE TOLD TO SPD UP TO 250 KTS. I TOLD HER WE COULDN'T IN THIS CONFIGN. SIGHT GAVE US A 90 DEG L TURN TO 160 DEGS. BEGAN TURN THEN ASKED WHAT SPD WE COULD MAINTAIN. 190 KTS WAS GIVEN. SHE TOLD US TO TURN 10 DEGS R AND PLAN FOR APCH TO RWY 24R. TOLD HER WE WERE IN L TURN PASSING 200 DEGS. SHE SAID SHE DIDN'T REALIZE WE WERE IN TURN AND GAVE US APPROPRIATE INTERCEPT FOR RWY 24R. WE'RE ALSO TOLD THAT A GULFSTREAM ON DOWNWIND WOULD KEEP US IN SIGHT AND LAND ON RWY 24L. THEY FLEW OVER US ABOUT 400-500 FT WITH CONTINUOUS TA ADVISORIES. BOTTOM LINE: IT IS SHEER MADNESS TO CONDUCT OPS IN WHICH ACFT N OR S OF THIS ARPT ARE BROUGHT IN TO LAND ON INBOUND RWYS WHILE APCHS ARE CONDUCTED TO THE OUTBOARDS. ALSO HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN SAFE SEPARATION FROM AN ACFT THAT IS FLYING 90 DEGS TO YOUR COURSE?