ATC is in charge of traffic management, and we’re in charge of getting to our destination alive. When those responsibilities are in conflict, it’s up to us to prioritize.
Low over water
It may come as a surprise to you that, from time to time, we endanger our lives and that of our passengers, and sometimes even violate FARs, when we accept a clearance from ATC.
Key Takeaways:
- Pilots are ultimately responsible for flight safety and regulatory compliance, even when ATC instructions conflict with these duties.
- Some ATC clearances, like the DEKAL TWO arrival, can instruct single-engine aircraft to descend to altitudes that are unsafe or illegal over water (e.g., too low to glide to shore in an engine failure).
- An ATC clearance does not authorize a pilot to deviate from Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) or minimum safe altitudes.
- Pilots are empowered and required to decline unsafe or illegal clearances by stating "Unable" and requesting alternative routing or altitudes to ensure safety and compliance.
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