AN ACR FLC IS UNABLE TO CROSS ARLIN INTXN AS ATC EXPECTED AFTER BEING RECLRED DIRECT TO ARLIN; 35 MI SW OF PHX; AZ.

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WE WERE GIVEN A XING RESTR TO CROSS ARLIN INTXN AT 11000 FT TO 250 KTS. I WAS DSNDING 1000 FPM. I WAS PLANNING ON INCREASING MY DSCNT RATE ONCE WE WERE ON THE PROPER DSCNT PROFILE. THE CTLR GAVE US A VECTOR OFF OF THE ARR. I ASSUMED THAT WE WERE GETTING VECTORS FOR THE APCH. I KEPT MY DSCNT AT 1000 FPM. A WHILE LATER; THE CTLR RECLRED US TO ARLIN AND TO CROSS AT 11000 FT TO 250 KTS. I ADVISED MY CAPT IMMEDIATELY THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THE XING RESTR. THE CAPT ADVISED THE CTLR THAT WE SHOULD NOT MAKE THE NEW RESTR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 483214: ANOTHER ACR DASH 8 WAS IN FRONT OF US AND WE COMPLIED WITH ALL SPDS ASSIGNED IN AN ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY SPACING. I COULD SEE THE DASH 8 BELOW US AND ASSUMED THAT WE WERE GETTING TOO CLOSE; SO WE SLOWED OUR DSCNT RATE. A COUPLE OF MI LATER; THE CTLR TURNED US DIRECT ARLIN AND ASKED IF WE WERE GOING TO MAKE THE RESTR. I TOLD HIM WE WOULD BE HIGH. WE CROSSED ARLIN AT 12000-12500 FT AND AROUND 280 KTS. SO WHAT WENT WRONG? I THINK THE PHX APCH COULD HAVE GIVEN US A REAL HEADS-UP IF HE WOULD HAVE JUST TOLD US IT WOULD BE A REAL SHORT VECTOR; EXPECT ARLIN AT 11000 FT AND 250 KTS AS PREVIOUSLY CLRED. FOR US; WE SHOULD ASSUME NOTHING; ALWAYS ASK.