Originally Posted by jriv
Are you really refusing a lower altitude while on a vector
- hang on! Your question was why do we 'BRIEF' the MSA. Not would we refuse a radar clearance below it. No-one will refuse a 'lower altitude while on a vector', unless, of course, they consider it dangerous and it is, after all, literally in the Captain's lap if ATC get it wrong. That is one of the reasons why I and all the rest brief it. That is why when given a vector BELOW MSA I ensure that I and the rest of my crew are happy with it - that we are radar identified.
Also, by briefing it (within memory span...) if comms are lost I do not need to grab for a map to establish MSA nor during a GPS pull up do I need to do that. Are you telling me that in a GPS pull up' you and/or the other crew members are going to be grabbing a map?