Steven P. McNicoll wrote:
"Dave Butler" wrote in message
news:1132165254.489969@sj-nntpcache-3...

OK, agreed. I'd call those clearances explicitly discretionary.



I'd call those clearances implicitly discretionary. I'd call a clearance
that included "descend at pilot's discretion" explicitly discretionary.

OK, suit yourself.

Yes, exactly. The clearance as originally stated was not for a
discretionary descent. By responding "right" to the pilots question, the
controller amended the clearance and simultaneously demonstrated lack of
understanding of the way clearances are stated. But OK, I see your point.



The controller didn't amend the clearance, she just verified that descent
was at pilot's discretion.

The clearance as originally stated was not for a discretionary descent. It's not
what's in the controller's head that counts, it's what she says. When she
"verified" that that the descent was to be discretionary, she was in effect
changing the clearance. That may not have been the controller's intention, but
that's what a pilot receiving the clearance should infer.

Dave, out.