ATC strange commands - any controllers may answer?

R

Rafal Bardel

Users Local time
Today 1:33 PM
Hello,

I just hope some of the controllers who are laso ACH pilots may answer my question. :?:

Last night I got a strange ATC command while flying from EDDF to EPKK. While flying over LKAA at FL370, the ATC - Praha Radar - told me to descend to FL2100 when I was well 200 miles from my destination. :wtf:
I checked - there were few aircraft over LKAA, no conflicting flight levels or headings, no real need for such separation. The flight plan was valid for FL370 - fresh from VRoute, airac 09010.
The command resulted in flying over 100 miles by B737 at low cruise alt, all the way in turbulent clouds, and increased consumption of fuel. When I asked the ATC on private message for his reasons, I got no answer.

I am just curious why he's made this decision. ATC commands are not subject to dispute, so I complied, but I thought it senseless, but I may be wrong. :think:

Flight report:
http://www.air-child.com/pirepDetail.php?fid=15102009205808ACH01049367&pid=ACH0104

Any suggestions from controllers or pilots?

Regards,
 
Hello Rafal,

first of all if FL2100 was supposed to be your assigned FL by ATC, why did you descend :rofl: 8) ... I would have answered "Sorry, but FL2100 is beyond my aircraft performance and we are unable to comply" :lol: :lol: :lol:

ATC also make mistakes and there is nobody that will "shout at you" if you ask for clarification due to distance to destination and an instruction that does not make sense to you. Maybe the controller on duty mixed you up with another call-sign and later on did not want to "sound stupid" and give you a climb clearance again...

I would have simply asked for clarification and advised the controller about the remaining distance to destination versus his/her instruction to descend... Maybe the controller said "When ready descend to FLxxx" or "At pilot discretion descend FLxxx to be level at a certain wazpoint" ?
In this case it would be up to you to plan and start your descend based on your TOD calculations 8)


Remember, its a two-way-communication and if something does not make sense for you up there in thin-air, use the very simple phrase "Say again" or "Unable due to ....."

Hope that helps :?:
 
Hello, Norbert,

thank you for explanation - I suspected there was sth wrong, and I did ask the ATC for explanation - through private message - but got no answer. So ...

The only ATC correcpondence was on enetering their FIR: "ACH7398, radar identified, descend to fl210", and next, after 100 miles "ACH7398, descend to fl 190 to level at PADKA, contact Warsaw radar on ...".

Well, I just thought they had invented something new in LKAA :). Just wanted to know.

Best regards,

Rafal
 
Maybe these guys are working according to local agreements they have with their neighbouring sectors. That might be a reason for an early descend clearence when they've taken those rules from real life sectors where you almost never (expect during the night) get your optimum descend clearence. As Norbert explained, the best way to handle that would be an "leave when ready to be at" clearence...

cheers,
tobi
 
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