This is why we call it the “Pilot In Command” This happened in the same vicinity where the ill-fated Lear Jet hit the storm cell. JetBlue pilot en route from Fort Lauderdale to Austin says to ATC: “So you're gonna make us go through a, uh, severe thunderstorm?” The... captain then commanded the situation and overrode the ATC: “So we declare an emergency, making a left turn heading 260 for severe weather avoidance.” Sometimes piloting demands a specific set of traits - decisiveness, independent judgment, and the backbone to reject an instruction when it doesn’t feel right. Refusing the assigned heading showed exactly that kind of assertive leadership. Whoever is pilot monitoring must make these tough calls but ultimately, the captain is the final authority and ultimately accountable for every soul on board.show more

ATC: "I'm showing light precipitation" Pilot:

Correct; it’s always the pilot’s call. ATC cannot definitively determine weather, only advise. Pilots can refuse a heading and it’s not a big deal. ATC adjusts accordingly. This happens every single day.

As a private pilot flying puddle jumpers? I be had to reject ATC directions quite a few times due to them vectoring me through bad weather. I’d rather piss off a controller than be dead

I think that ATC advised them of weather several minutes before that and they declined to change the route.

You also expect the pilot handling the radios to read-back heading instructions. This 2P missed it, and they entered a right turn after being told "no further right than your current heading". They went into the heart of the cell, iced up, and crashed. If you have a task saturated flying pilot, the 2P is supposed to handle the outside comms, and bring them inside. She failed to do a basic readback. Hey, she had time to text her boyfriend at least.

Your example has the co-pilot talking to ATC and doing his job of judging the route and negotiating a better one

It’s good to see that Jet Blue and United have some good pilots.

I would probably “unable” vs declaring an emergency, and would point out fuel etc if that were the reason unable would turn into emergency if demanded.

ATC are there for Pilots. Not the other way around.

The ATC are not air cops people need to realize

You are completely wrong. Its bith of their faults.

That's the CO-PILOT

Two professionals just handling it. The tower saw one thing, but when they were overwritten with the emergency call they accepted the change of plans and got on with it.

I thought the SIC, not the PIC, was in charge of communications on a plane? Why are you changing your story?

This is amazing.... what a call.

ATC radar only shows precipitation, the pilot has a better overall picture of the severity. You can have 20 airplanes fly through a hole in the weather, ATC doesn’t know the route is no good anymore until a pilot says so.

This was actually an excellent exchange. A lot of controllers would have been PISSED.

I’m wondering if there is something wrong with ATC’s weather radar data down there in FL now too… ATC on Sundays incident directed the jet right into a rapidly building cell. When she asked clearer air, ATC responded he had plenty of clear air in his sector. This clip has another controller seeing “light precipitation in the area” but the pilot could see the severe storm cell… 🤔

ATC trying to crash a plane into Mar a Lago

ATC: unable! You’re gonna go 270 heading and you’re gonna go thru a gap Pilot: the hell we are!

A hero!!!!!

Yep

What does CRM dictate when SIC believes that PIC is putting the plane in danger @grok?

Atc female sounds 22 years old with bad advice.

Either pilot should feel empowered to challenge a clearance before the situation becomes urgent.

Some of the excellent pilots on social media have been commenting for ages that private flights do seem to be more prone to weather related accidents than regular commercial aircraft as there's much more pressure on the pilots not to allow delays.

@grok what say you? Alpha / Sigma Male Pilots are considered “Assholes” in our feminized soy boy culture. But you live!

must be a liberal air traffic controller

"...make a hole..."