Originally Posted by flower
We are also not allowed to issue what are referred to as "unsafe clearances" that is why we in many cases cannot give the clearance through the overhead against a departure or arrival, once both aircraft are on the radar frequency then we can do so much more..
No, and I accept that, but by waiting until passing traffic actually declares 'unable to maintain VMC' (and we don't do that lightly) we are already in a position of serious risk, but being placed outside the ATZ we are not the ATCOs problem.
In the particular instance my friends experienced, pilots were already declaring a problem maintaining VMC but ATC continued to instruct aircraft to fly into that area without any warning of the conditions they were about to experience
The logic is that is 'Radar' know that a lot of aircraft are intending to make a similar routing, and it is possible to allow an overhead transit (it is legal after all), then he might choose to hold the commercial traffic to allow the fleet through. However, bitter experience shows that pressure from the companies will dictate that the VFR traffic will be sent away or an MOR or complaint will be filed.
That side of the equation none of us GA pilots ever see, but we know it happens.