"Bob Gardner" wrote in message
news:ZLUVb.12036$032.41047@attbi_s53...

I'm going to quibble with Roy just a bit. "When able," in my mind,
means "when you can proceed direct without hitting anything." You
can get a good needle and still hit terrain. In this clearance, however,
my guess is that 6000 feet was his minimum instrument altitude and
you were good to go at that altitude.


From the Pilot/Controller Glossary:

WHEN ABLE- When used in conjunction with ATC instructions, gives the pilot
the latitude to delay compliance until a condition or event has been
reconciled. Unlike "pilot discretion," when instructions are prefaced "when
able," the pilot is expected to seek the first opportunity to comply. Once a
maneuver has been initiated, the pilot is expected to continue until the
specifications of the instructions have been met. "When able," should not be
used when expeditious compliance is required.