"Howard Nelson" wrote in message
...

I have been following this thread and agree with most of what has been
said
.

What I find strange is that ATC did not issue an amended clearance or
offer
a limited range of options. The last thing I would need if IFR amidst
convective cells would be to research a new route, propose it to ATC and
then hold somewhere while they decide if my new proposed flight plan is
OK.
I find it rather bizarre that a pilot tooling along at 3 miles a minute is
asked to play "what am I thinking" with ATC who presumably knows where the
pilot wants to go and is in at least as good position to reccommend an
alternative route.


Look at it from ATC's perspective for a moment. There's weather to the
north and Potomac approach to the south. The pilot can't get to his
destination via routing through Potomac approach as he planned. So if he
wants to continue to his destination under IFR he'll have to go around the
weather or around Potomac approach. What's wrong with asking the pilot what
he'd like to do? You make it sound like the pilot is expected to
immediately spit back a letter-perfect alternate weather. All the
controller wants is the general plan of action. Around approach? Around
the cells? Land at an alternate airport? Return to departure airport?
Cancel IFR? This question is just not that hard!