Citationjet (C525/C526) - CJ I / II / III / IV
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200; Flight Crew Total 14000; Flight Crew Type 500
Situational Awareness; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors; Weather; Procedure
Subsequent to filing an IFR flight plan using FltPlan.com; I received an IFR clearance from the Tower. The clearance I received was the route that I filed. This is a flying distance of 335 miles and the flight time on this route is about 1 hour. During the climb to 23000 feet; the Center Controller advised that he had a reroute for me. Before I received; or accepted; the amended routing; I asked him if the reason for the reroute was weather; because I could see thunderstorms in the distance along my route of flight. He said it was and he cleared me via direct to a fix and the RNAV STAR. This route is a total distance of 477 miles; some 142 miles more than the planned route; and approximately 1 hour 25 minutes flying time; but probably more given the situation as it existed that day. The airplane I was flying is brand new. It is equipped with XM weather that includes NEXRAD and other useful real-time weather products. During this exchange I was checking the NEXRAD to get a better idea of the reason for the reroute. It immediately became obvious the reroute was undesirable. A line of convective weather extending from west-southwest to east-northeast was just a few miles north of the destination airport. From the NEXRAD I could see that the line was moving north; away from the airport. Armed with this information; I told the controller that I wished to go direct to a different fix for an RNAV arrival. I explained to him that the line of weather was north of the airport moving north and that their routing would require me to fly through the line of weather. He was adamant that if I wished to continue there were no other option available to him; and thus to me. I then made it quite clear to him that I would not accept the routing. This is when things got a bit weird.The Controller was noticeably flustered by my refusal to acquiesce to his repeated demands to fly a route that I; the pilot in command; had determined was imprudent and wholly unnecessary. In an effort to coerce me into doing his bidding; he told me that if I was unwilling to do as he wished; then I would have to return to my departure airport. Ostensibly; those were my only two options; fly an ill-advised routing through a line of thunderstorms or go back. When I told him that I would not be going back he became even more flustered. Apparently; this Controller has never before had a Captain exercise his bona fide authority; until today. By now we are level at 23000 feet. The Controller directs me to make a 'right 360!' In utter disbelief as to the reason for such a bizarre and unnecessary instruction I asked him to say it again. Then I heard him say; 'Hold at your present position;' but then he almost immediately corrected his error by saying; 'Make a right 360.' In an effort to avoid making him completely lose his composure; I thought it best to comply with his instruction. About halfway through the turn; he told me to 'fly heading 190.' I read back the clearance and advised that I needed a higher altitude as we were burning too much fuel at 23000 feet. He cleared me up to 34000 feet and then instructs me to contact the adjacent ARTCC. I contacted the adjacent Center and within a minute received a clearance via the requested arrival route.In more than 30 year of professional flying I have never experienced a situation quite like this one. During the past decade; or so; though; I have notice that individual controllers are no longer allowed to make autonomous decisions regard the handling of a particular flight. The almost simultaneous retirement of all the controller hired in the wake of the PATCO strike is leaving the ATC system with a dearth of experienced controllers. This is not the first time that I have experienced this exact situation; but it is one of the few times that I have elected to exercise my authority as pilot in command; although I expect it will not be the last given the ill-conceived hiring practices at the FAA. It also seems that the new corps of controllers have not been well trained with regard to that authority; so I think it is worth stating it here. 14 CFR 91.3: Responsibility and authority of the pilot in command. (a).The pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for; and is the final authority as to; the operation of that aircraft. I think many of the problems that occur now are a direct result of hiring practices at the FAA during the Obama administration. It is a foregone conclusion that many of the controllers hired during that period would have washed out before the standards were reduced. Making affirmative action hiring decisions coupled with a policy to 'train to competence' has seriously corrupted what was the best air traffic control system on the planet. I have told you before and I will tell you again; it is only a matter of time before this social experiment results in the deaths of many who trusted the American government hire and train competent air traffic controllers. That trust is clearly misplaced at the moment. I can't even begin to imagine how bad things with be once this new corps become the supervisors and managers of the ATC facilities. But by that time I expect to be retired.
C525 pilot reported ATC initially denied their requested routing to avoid weather at their destination.