On a bumpy day near New York City, we heard the following exchange:
Diamond 8DS: “New York Approach, Diamond Eight Delta Sierra. I’m getting continuous moderate turbulence at 5000. Request 6000. It looks like I’ll be on top at six.”
New York Approach: “Diamond Eight Delta Sierra. Unable 6000. Maintain 5000.”
Diamond 8DS: “Maintain 5000, Eight Delta Sierra.”
A few minutes later:
New York Approach: “Diamond Eight Delta Sierra. Change to my frequency 133.75.”
Diamond 8DS: “New York Approach: Diamond Eight Delta Sierra. Unable to change frequencies right now. I can’t keep my hand on the radio knob in this turbulence.”
New York Approach: “Diamond Eight Delta Sierra. Climb and maintain 6000.”
Diamond 8DS: “6000. Change to 133.75. Eight Delta Sierra.”
Oliver Aetna
Wickford, Rhode Island
Likely, the Diamond was now going to be 12,000 feet from empty airspace that might be used by a jet instead of 13,000.
As soon as this inconveniences the bureaucracy, they actually looked at the situation and made a bold decision.
Great story
Could it be that they were combining or de-combining sectors and the new frequency “owned” or would own the airspace at 6000? Or maybe you think the controller was just f*%#_>@ with 8DS ’cause they could!
Set departure or arrival corridors with set altitudes causes this frequently. I’ve been in this situation bouncing through the clouds when I knew only a thousand above or a few thousand below was much smoother. However much faster jets were there, and I needed to be out of their way.