Bob Gardner wrote:

Never parse a controller's transmissions in an attempt to analyze his or her
intentions. I don't know how you phrased your transmission regarding the
change in destination, but my guess is that it did not contain enough
information. Controllers have to abide by phraseology in the Air Traffic
Control Handbook...pilots have no similar guidance. Say what you have to say
and say it clearly, and I'll bet this never happens again.

Good point. Typically, when I ask for a deviation I include the reason
in the transmission. It takes very little time to say "request vectors
to Podunk Municipal due to weather along route." In the case stated
here, I'd have thought the controller would have guessed the reason, but
maybe he wasn't aware of the weather ahead.

I was flying from ILM to ELM a few years ago. There was a squall line
moving across Virginia and just abeam Richmond it started getting very
dark ahead and the Strikefinder was lighting up like a Christmas tree.
I was about ready to call the controller when he came on and said I had
a line of severe thunderstorms ahead that was causing airline traffic to
divert and inquired as to my intentions. I asked him where the airline
guys were diverting. He said Richmond. I said "I'll take it." He then
gave me a vector to get me headed the right direction. Nothing nicer
than an on the ball controller when things start to turn sour.

It was almost as if he was reading my mind when he called me just as I
was about to key the mic.

Matt