HKg ATC / weather
 

to ATC folk and pilots if they care to answer,

Why would ATC clear an aircraft for takeoff when,

1 there have been ground based windshear warnings,
2 there is a thunderstorm overhead,
3 the rain is so heavy that viz has reduced to less than 1000m,
4 the wind is in excess of any aircraft crosswind limit that I have flown,
5 an aircraft at the hold reported several onboard "windshear ahead" warnings,
6 previous aircraft had refused to takeoff until conditions cleared.

Why would you ask an aircraft "xxx, would you like to have a go".

Because an aircraft did "have a go".

Does anybody learn any lessons in this part of the world?

You are from OZ, correct?

What relevence does that make?

I would hazard a guess thats its not ATC's decision as to wether or not the conditions are ok for each individual pilot or carrier. They merely issue a clearance, the final decision lies with the bloke with the big wallet and four stripes. :}

I agree. My question was more synicism than anything else.

Perhaps a bit more standardish phraseology might be useful.The conditions are X,Y,Z what are your intentions,or do you wish to depart.ATC's job in HK and here in the UK is to report the facts to the pilot.If they want to depart,then as long as there are no traffic reasons then we let them depart.Some airlines are more conservative than others.Here we have different types of severe weather,bad fog,snow and ice,as well as thunderstorms and we tell the pilots what the conditions are.If you don't want to go or conditions are outside your limits,then wait.

It is up to the PIC to decide what is and is not safe. Thankfully we don't have controllers (who are usually not pilots) decide that for us. Nor would they probably want the liability for the decision either.
This is the same in the US also. PIC is the guy who makes the decision. You don't like it, just say NO, easy as that.

Go on, give us a hint who. :E