After requesting VFR flight following on a brief flight from KAGC to KLBE center endlessly repeats "[callsign] Would you like to request a new altitude?".

 

Center asked me to climb to 5,500 but that is in the clouds. My VFR flight plan is filed for 4000ft. Requesting a lower altitude fails with "Your requested altitude is below the minimum for your route" even though there are no obstructions anywhere near that high. Requesting *any* altitude does not stop the loop.

 

The only way to stop the "would you like to request a new altitude" loop is to fly to the assigned altitude even though that puts me in the clouds on a VFR flight.

Try setting the minimum en-route AGL altitude to a lower setting.  The default is 3000 ft AGL.  If you are VFR going East, it will set the Min altitude to an odd altitude + 500 that is at least 3000 ft above the terrain for the route.  Thus if the terrain is 800 ft somewhere on the route, + 3000 makes it 3800.  The next odd 1000 + 500 above that is 5500.  Going West, it would be 4500 ft.

 

On the "Misc Settings" tab in the config window, set the minimum en-route AGL to 1000, then the min altitude for an easterly flight will be 3500.

 

Hope this helps.

Dave

Ah, I missed that setting. Thanks for the help.

 

When requesting VFR flight following perhaps center should wait some time before asking "Would you like to request a new altitude". As soon as I requested it kept repeating that on a loop.

 

Sorry for my ignorance of ATC procedures (still a lot to learn) but shouldn't there be a way to communicate that you are forced to deviate from an assigned altitude to avoid weather rather than just requesting a new altitude?

Imagio,

Yes, I see the problem in the ATC logic and will correct it.  You should be able to fly any VFR altitude you like as long as you are not on a clearance through Class B airspace, for example. 

 

Dave