Originally Posted by
Winemaker
I'm sorry, but as SLF I'm struggling to understand what the command and response is to ATC directives. ATC accepts the aircraft for landing, assigns a runway, etc. and directs the aircraft into the landing pattern. At what point does the PIC take over decisions as to whether the landing should continue? How can the pilot ignore specific (sounds to me) direction from ATC to take another heading and circle and decide on his own to continue the approach? Sure, the pilot is in command of his aircraft, but it would make a lot of sense to me that a command (turn left 180) is not a request but an order. Can the PIC just ignore direction from the ATC? Then what are the ATC there for? Don't they know much more than the landing aircraft as to what is happening around the airport?
My humble experience ATC tells you the reason or brief explanation when they give you a clearance that's an "unexpected" or rather "out of normal". One example, as a delaying tactic when they give you a 90 degrees intercept heading to runway course if the intention is you to cross the runway extended centreline ATC for sure won't wait you to ask for intercept heading, they would let you know their intention is for you to cross extended centreline line. This should be enough to keep pilots situation aware. If they don't give this brief explanation for sure I will ask for intercept heading at some point.
Now back to the subject, ATC should have given the reason as to why they wanted pilots to turn heading left180. Pilots' tunnel vision at that point resulted in them not querying as to why left heading.
I know the fact that in pilots minds they knew the intention as to why they were instructed to fly the heading. But being given a reason as to why the heading, verbally, would click more to pilots' minds. Again the final decision is always Captain's. After all ATC have never flown the machine who are they to judge what's happening in the cockpit.