If the pilot tried to stall, Puddister would make the decision. “You’re instructed to land . . .” And then he’d fill in the blank. The word “instruct” carries a lot of weight in the vernacular of pilots and air-traffic controllers. As a matter of civility, pilots and controllers normally use the word “request.” When a controller uses the word “instruct,” it’s the same as an order. A pilots who refuses to comply can lose his license.
