"Jose" wrote in message
. ..

No. One property of the route =wanted= in this case is that it not go
through Potomac approach.


No, one property of the route WANTED in this case is that go through Potomac
approach. The route is wanted by the pilot but Potomac approach says he
can't go through Potomac approach. So, one property of the route NEEDED in
this case is that it NOT go through Potomac approach. You can't always get
what you want, you get what you need.



It appears from what the controller said that
he didn't much care one way or the other. Now, maybe this controller
tried everything he could and in frustration passed it on to the pilot.
But it seems equally likely that Potomac just didn't want to handle him,
and my response would be "try harder".


That answer just wastes time. It's already been decided that you're not
going through Potomac approach.



Their approach suggests an unwillingness to work with the pilot.


The controller demonstrated a willingness to work with the pilot when he
issued the pilot's requested routing at departure instead of the
preferential route. Nothing in the OP's message suggests a change in his
attitude.



IFR? At any altitude?


Yes.



Because the pilot has no reasonable way of knowing where "Potomac
Approach" is, especially since it changes with the whim and the weather.


Potomac approach boundaries are fixed. The pilot doesn't need to know where
they are, the controller does. All the pilot has to do is decide if he
wants to go around Potomac approach, or go around the weather, or divert to
another airport or cancel and go IFR. That's the information the
controller's seeking with, "say intentions."



What is getting my dander up isn't the situation of an approach not being
able to handle an aircraft at the moment. I'm sure it happens many times.
Rather, the phrase "what are your intentions?" in this context (right
after "we're not going to do this") hints at an unwillingness of ATC to
work with the pilot(*). ATC is there =for= the pilots, not the other way
around.


Okay. You think seeking pilot input prior to deciding on a course of action
hints at an unwillingness of ATC to work with the pilot. It's actually the
opposite.



I wonder how many airline pilots have heard "XYZ approach is refusing to
handle you".


Conduct a survey.