Lancair Legacy
Flight Crew Flight Engineer
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 18000; Flight Crew Type 650
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Human Factors; Procedure
During the descent for landing at 7FL6; handoff from JAX Approach to Daytona Beach Approach was made about CARRA Intersection. Numerous rain showers with towering CU was observed both visually and by reference to WSI onboard weather. Communications were established with Daytona Beach Approach and I was asked if I had contact with the weather in the area. I responded that I did have the weather and planned to maneuver by threading thru the rain showers visually as much as possible. The Controller assigned a heading of 170 for descent from 10;000 to 6;000 feet. I indicated that I had the AWOS information for 7FL6 and was maneuvering to stay clear while descending.  Incredibly; I was then told by the Controller that 'you can't just fly whatever heading you want to; there's other IFR traffic.' I was told by this Controller that they would provide the heading (170) to remain clear of the moderate rain showers. Obviously; the Controller did NOT have both the visual and Satellite weather depiction that I saw. I repeated again that I was maneuvering with small left and right turns to stay in the clear in the descent. After a safe landing was made at 7FL6; I phoned the DAB Approach Supervisor to complain about this Controller. I told him that I did not appreciate the Controller's poor grasp of the flight situation or the attempt to intervene with safe conduct of the flight to landing. I emphasized that I would disregard any ground-based controllers input if I deemed it necessary for safe completion of flight.
General Aviation aircraft expressed concern regarding ATC handling during maneuvers to avoid weather. The reporter noted ATC's poor grasp of the flight situation.