Calling 'Radio'
I know we've had many long and rambling discussions on here about the differences between A/G, AFIS and ATC units, but practically speaking how should I be dealing with this - picture the scene, flying back from a x-country navex towards Stapleford, on a heading of 220 and, lo and behold, 22L is in use. I call up Stapleford and after the usual polite introductions, say. .. .Me: Any chance of a straight in approach?. .. .Radio: Wait one.. .. .Do-de-do-de-dum..... .. .Radio: G-XXXX wind 180 at 12kts, QNH1004.. .. .So, the questions are these: . .. .1. Being Stapleford Radio, should I have in fact not posed my original request as a question and simply said something along the lines of 'I'm intending to conduct a straight in approach', and waited for them to 'suggest' an overhead join; and. .. .2. I know they can't actually give me permission to do anything, but would it not have saved that split second's worth of indecision had they added 'straight in at your discretion' rather than let me assume that it was OK?. .. .Yours curiously,. .LB.