When to use "Unable"

[TangoWhiskey]

Here's one time!

My American Airlines 777 captain friend, Stan, sent me this picture of a massive thunderstorm they encountered last week enroute at cruise altitude from DFW to ORD. Here's what Stan had to say about it:

ATC: "Hold at Bonham on the 035 radial."
Our response: "Unable"
ATC: "OK, pick any radial."

I asked him how the system indicates "tilt" for the weather radar. He replied:

The tilt reference is on the left side on the screen. In this picture it is set to +2. WX+T means weather plus turbulence mode. WXR means precip mode only. VAR means the gain has been adjusted off of neutral.

 

[Darrell111]

Here's one time!

My American Airlines 777 captain friend, Stan, sent me this picture of a massive thunderstorm they encountered last week enroute at cruise altitude from DFW to ORD. Here's what Stan had to say about it:

ATC: "Hold at Bonham on the 035 radial."
Our response: "Unable"
ATC: "OK, pick any radial."

I asked him how the system indicates "tilt" for the weather radar. He replied:

Speaking of Holds.. i personally have never gotten one.. but apparently it does happen quite often .. who knew

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

That looks pretty close to be accepting any radial at BYP!
"How about 10E of BYP, on the 090r?"

I learned of a bizjet at one of our airports that came back from a trip to NY, they had not used the discretion Troy mentions and accepted a vector into level 4 or 5 and came back with the skin of a golfball all over the bird. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

I think the more appropriate radio response
rather than "unable" would be "No Way!!!"

Here's one time!

My American Airlines 777 captain friend, Stan, sent me this picture of a massive thunderstorm they encountered last week enroute at cruise altitude from DFW to ORD. Here's what Stan had to say about it:

ATC: "Hold at Bonham on the 035 radial."
Our response: "Unable"
ATC: "OK, pick any radial."

I asked him how the system indicates "tilt" for the weather radar. He replied:

 

[Dave Siciliano]

I've not been give a standard one minute hold. That's a last resort for all. At Operation Rain Check, Center here showed the computer driven traffic arrival systems they have. Each sector is given a certain amount of traffic it can handle; all flight plans filed and flights enroute are entered and traffic can be managed by delaying departures, changing routing or speeds. The holds are normally for events which can't be predicted like runway closures due to an accident or other unforseen circumstances; weather, etc.

Last hold I was given was when on the STAR to Addison (D/FW area). I was arriving on the Glen Rose arrival from the west. Told to turn to heading of 360 and kept there for about 10 minutes, then turned around to 180; there were storm cells right on the approach end of D/FW and all traffic was being rerouted in this manner. I was allowed to proceed in after one complete circuit of about 20 minutes.

Best,

Dave

 

[AirBaker]

"'Unable' - When you just plain can't..."