Short Final

Editorial Staff

Monday, October 24, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A pilot flying IFR requested a lower altitude to avoid IMC, believing their WAAS-enabled GPS would allow for safer terrain clearance.
Air Traffic Control (ATC) denied the request, citing terrain as the reason.
ATC humorously clarified that the aircraft's advanced equipment does not alter the physical height of mountains, emphasizing terrain as the ultimate constraint.

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I was flying IFR from KHIO in Oregon to KMAN in Idaho and trying to avoid IMC. I saw that my ARTCC route showed a GPS altitude 2,000 feet lower than my current altitude, which would keep us below the IMC looming ahead.

Me: “Seattle Center, 28M, can I get lower?

Seattle Center: 28M, negative, I need to keep you here for terrain.”

Me: Roger that, I am WAAS-enabled.

I threw that last line out just in case he wasn’t aware that I could accept a lower altitude with my GPS.

Seattle Center: 28M, the equipment on your aircraft does not change the height of the mountains.

Dustin Woodhouse