Clearances that are impossible to accept
A couple of weeks ago I was flying VFR on an aerial photography flight. The site we were to photograph was in Oldham, in the Manchester CAS. With around 25 miles to run, I made the inital call to Manchester, gave the details of the flight etc. I was told "Call me with 10 miles to Oldham, cleared to enter CAS not above 2000' on the QHN...etc
At this point I was at 3000' with a ridge of high ground (a peak height a mile to the left of my track was shown at 2100')
A descent to 2000' by the zone boundry would have been impossible. (May be would have cleared the ridge by say 50' but I wasn't interested in finding out!)
At the required point I called as required but requested to maintain 3000' for a further 5 miles for terrain clearance.
This was granted and gave sufficient (just) clearance before descending inside the zone.
Now, I am fully aware it is the pilots responsibility to maintain terrain clearance. It certainly wasn't a problem in the very good visability at that time and I wouldn't have been mucking around at low level near hills if the weather had been poor.
However, an unquestioning acceptance of the controllers instructions to be not above 2000' by the zone boundry would have put me into conflict with the terrain. Presumably you guys are aware of the high ground. Is it a good idea to give instructions like this, thatmaybe a less expereinced pilot, particularly if the weather was bad and he or she was stretched, might have accepted and could have got them into deepest trouble?
PLEASE NOTE I am not critising the service I recieved on the day or any other ATC service. Just a genuine question on your general policy, regardless of what the books say.