Agree that the pilot should have declared an emergency. I’m more worried about how much pilots are relying on automation letting their hand flying skills deteriorate.
During the cold war a passenger plane pilot had emergency over an airfield where classified work was being done. He asked the tower for permission to land. They refused. He landed anyway, stating the plane was either going to wind up on that runway or beside it.
Sometimes you can’t wait for permission or for people to understand what is going on.
Yep. How hard is that?
“I am declaring a fuel emergency.”