question on "unable"
On another website a helicopter pilot questioned ATC asking him to be #2 on final for a runway. He was just making a comment that he would have preferred for clearance to land directly to the ramp. A CFI suggested that it was his fault for not replying that he was "unable".
I stated that unless a pilot is truly unable for safety reasons this probably isn't the way to do things. The CFI came back that it's no big deal and he's done it many times.
My question for controllers... would it be a big deal if a pilot said he was unable to comply with instructions and if questioned replied "I WAS able, I just didn't want to."?