F100 FLC CONCERNED WITH BHM CTLR DELAYING RESPONSE TO IMPENDING WX CONDITIONS; AND SUBSEQUENT CTLR XMISSIONS AND CTL ACTIONS.

Narrative

WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR A L DOWNWIND ON A 240 DEG HDG TO THE ILS RWY 5 APCH; I INFORMED THE CTLR THAT; DUE TO WX BEING DISPLAYED ON OUR RADAR IN RED; FROM OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS TO 2 O'CLOCK POS; THAT WE NEEDED TO TURN TO 200 DEGS TO AVOID HVY PRECIP. I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. WHEN I ASKED AGAIN FOR A L TURN; I WAS TOLD THAT THE CTLR WAS WORKING 6 FREQS. EVENTUALLY; AFTER BEING TOLD TO STAND BY; I SAID WE NEEDED TO TURN. WHEN THE CTLR FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR REQUEST; I HAD THE FO (PF) TURN TO 200 DEGS. I ANNOUNCED THIS TO THE CTLR. HE INFORMED US THAT WE WERE USING EMER DISCRETION FOR THE TURN. I SAID THAT I DIDN'T USE THOSE WORDS. HE THEN TURNED US TO 090 DEGS; BUT DID NOT SAY WHAT FOR. I ASKED; AND HE SAID THIS WAS A VECTOR FOR THE APCH. (EARLIER ON DOWNWIND; I REQUESTED A TURN INSIDE MCDEN INTXN TO AVOID A CELL OF HVY RAIN OVER THE MARKER. THIS REQUEST WAS DENIED. I INFORMED HIM THAT WE PAINTED HVY RAIN AT MCDEN AND REPEATED OUR REQUEST WITH NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.) AFTER THE 090 DEG HDG; I THINK HE GAVE US 160 DEGS; THEN 180 DEG HDG. THIS HDG (180 DEGS) WAS GOING TO PLACE US RIGHT INTO A HVY RAIN CELL OF MAYBE 2 MI IN DIAMETER. WHEN I SAID WE COULDN'T FLY 180 DEGS; HE TURNED US TO 360 DEGS AND CLBED US TO 4000 FT MSL. WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD AT VUZ; AND EFC ON THE HR (50 MINS). WE COULD NOT ACCEPT THIS DUE TO FUEL CONSIDERATIONS AND TOLD HIM SO. WE WERE IGNORED FOR ABOUT 2 OR 3 MINS. THEN HE TOLD US WE WERE IN VIOLATION OF AN ATC CLRNC. WE ASKED 3 TIMES FOR VECTORS TO FINAL AND HE FINALLY GAVE IT TO US. WE HAD TO DECLARE CRITICAL FUEL OR HE WOULD HAVE PUT US #5 FOR THE APCH. LNDG UNEVENTFUL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THE RPTR HAD SUCH AN EXPERIENCE WITH A CONTROLLER. RPTR CALLED AND DISCUSSED SIT WITH FACILITY SUPVR TO OBTAIN RESOLUTION.