Unable to accept Radar Vector.

[Mike Tee]

Wonder if anyone can help in explaining the following.
A pasenger jet is radar vectored for an ILS approach. The radar controller gives a new heading to "turn right heading 340". The pilot answers "we are unable to accept a right turn at this time". Radar controller says, Roger, advise when you can accept a right turn. A few moments later the pilot says "we can accept a right turn now". The aircraft is given new vectors and and proceeds to intercept the localiser and lands.
Why would the pilot be unable to accept the right turn.
Thanks.

[4Screwaircrew]

Weather is the most likely reason.

[Dash8driver1312]

Captain is still doing the crossword and balancing his newspaper on the yoke, therefore unable to turn the yoke until he solves 16 Across

[flybmi]

As 4S mentioned weather is the most likely reason for being unable to accept the vector, an extra few miles may well route you around the cell and avoid any problems associated with.

Alternatively the crew may have felt that a vector at that point may have left them too high / fast for the approach and needed a few more track miles to configure the aircraft appropriately.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Bit unusual that the pilot did not give a reason, which they usually do. If it was busy airspace the refusal could be potentially dangerous so the controller needs to know why the pilot will not turn.

[Hotel Tango]

......unless the controller is aware there's weather about, in which case no explanation is needed.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

HT. I don't entirely agree. With no weather info on radars I used it was always useful to get info from crews. Rather than just refuse a heading I would expect something like: "We'd like to stay on this heading to avoid..."

[AerocatS2A]

That may have already happened. If you've already told the controller about weather there's no need to tell them again. The example in the OP is just a short snippet with no context.

[Hotel Tango]

Agree HD, but in the meantime AerocatS2A covered exactly my line of thought in this particular instance.

[Lord Spandex Masher]

Bit unusual that the pilot did not give a reason, which they usually do. If it was busy airspace the refusal could be potentially dangerous so the controller needs to know why the pilot will not turn.

Why would the refusal be dangerous just because you didn't know why they refused?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Spandex. I assume that you are not a pilot or controller? Picture this - aircraft on opposite base legs for the same runway. One is told to turn to a closing heading and refuses = possible loss of separation with opposite direction traffic.

[Lord Spandex Masher]

You assume wrong.

I understand that but that's not caused by you not knowing the reason for a refusal.

Not having a go, just curious.

[Impress to inflate]

I fly into and out of Darwin occasionally in a large twin helicopter. During the wet season with thunder storms in the area or tropical cyclones around I have to regularly inform ATC that I can't comply with a radar heading due weather. On the large part they are quite understanding and ask me what heading would help or to report clear of weather.

I don't know any pilot who would want to "do there own thing" regards vectoring

[Hotel Tango]

The issue here is not about pilots doing their own thing, but about interpreting a snippet of an r/t exchange given by the OP, possibly taken out of context, from the overall picture at the time.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

<<A pilot always has the option to reject a clearance or instruction. >>

I think everyone knows that but it is very uncommon. I can recall only one instance of a pilot questioning a heading.

There are lots of examples of potentially dangerous situations in everyday flying and if every potential incident were to be avoided it would result in the closure of airports and airspace!

[kcockayne]

Quite right, HD. Just like if they were to do security properly !