wrote in message ...


No. That is what the black letters all in a row that translate to
"pilot
discretion" mean. I've done hundreds of them in small aircraft and
heavy
(450,000+ lbs).

I have a similar background. When I was flying the air carrier aircraft,
the
company I worked for had as policy that its crews would report leaving a
previously assigned altitude, whether PD or not.

There reasoning was it removed any possibility of ambiguity.

When there are two options, and there is any doubt as to which is right
(or
wrong) exercise the option that has the least cost if wrong.

I agree Sammy. I was just responding to Richard's question about whether
I'd ever received a "complaint" from ATC by starting a PD a few minutes
after receiving it wtihout notifying the controller. I usually did make a
brief "XYZ departing 190" call for precisely the reason you're speaking
about. But when I didn't, due to radio congestion, I never had any
controlling agency ask why.

JB