Narrative:

Combined instructional (commercial rating) and pleasure flight with 10,000 hour cfii in right seat. En route VFR from cuf to myf, basically along V459. At chs VOR I contacted ZLA (per TCA chart instructions) to request permission to transit the TCA at 9500' MSL along V459 to sli en route to myf. La handed us to burbank approach where I repeated the request. They acknowledged and provided a 'squawk' code, then handed off to another burbank controller, then another whose acknowledgement was not clear to me. (Pilot): 'burbank, small aircraft, did you say stay clear?' burbank: 'negative, I said loud and clear'. We proceeded along V459 and I said to my instructor: 'we never got a specific clearance, but it certainly seems implied. Instructor: 'yeah'. At approximately darts intersection, I called burbank again to confirm clearance (about 2 NM from entering the TCA). ATC said 'no! Turn eastbound!', then 'restate your request', then 'turn north', then 'la center says you wanted hollywood park transition'. I said 'no thanks! Please cancel flight following'. (That would have meant a 10-12 NM side-step to the west, out of our way). We then proceeded eastbound around the TCA. Both I and my instructor were angry that we had nearly been 'suckered' into a TCA violation. We had been in positive radar contact for 35 NM with ample opportunity for ATC direction! Communication frequencys were virtually clear. ATC should have given specific confirmation or denial of clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POOR ATC HANDLING OF VFR ACFT ATTEMPTING TRANSIT THROUGH THE TCA.

Narrative: COMBINED INSTRUCTIONAL (COMMERCIAL RATING) AND PLEASURE FLT WITH 10,000 HR CFII IN RIGHT SEAT. ENRTE VFR FROM CUF TO MYF, BASICALLY ALONG V459. AT CHS VOR I CONTACTED ZLA (PER TCA CHART INSTRUCTIONS) TO REQUEST PERMISSION TO TRANSIT THE TCA AT 9500' MSL ALONG V459 TO SLI ENRTE TO MYF. LA HANDED US TO BURBANK APCH WHERE I REPEATED THE REQUEST. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED AND PROVIDED A 'SQUAWK' CODE, THEN HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER BURBANK CTLR, THEN ANOTHER WHOSE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WAS NOT CLEAR TO ME. (PLT): 'BURBANK, SMA, DID YOU SAY STAY CLEAR?' BURBANK: 'NEGATIVE, I SAID LOUD AND CLEAR'. WE PROCEEDED ALONG V459 AND I SAID TO MY INSTRUCTOR: 'WE NEVER GOT A SPECIFIC CLRNC, BUT IT CERTAINLY SEEMS IMPLIED. INSTRUCTOR: 'YEAH'. AT APPROX DARTS INTXN, I CALLED BURBANK AGAIN TO CONFIRM CLRNC (ABOUT 2 NM FROM ENTERING THE TCA). ATC SAID 'NO! TURN EBND!', THEN 'RESTATE YOUR REQUEST', THEN 'TURN NORTH', THEN 'LA CENTER SAYS YOU WANTED HOLLYWOOD PARK TRANSITION'. I SAID 'NO THANKS! PLEASE CANCEL FLT FOLLOWING'. (THAT WOULD HAVE MEANT A 10-12 NM SIDE-STEP TO THE WEST, OUT OF OUR WAY). WE THEN PROCEEDED EBND AROUND THE TCA. BOTH I AND MY INSTRUCTOR WERE ANGRY THAT WE HAD NEARLY BEEN 'SUCKERED' INTO A TCA VIOLATION. WE HAD BEEN IN POSITIVE RADAR CONTACT FOR 35 NM WITH AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR ATC DIRECTION! COM FREQS WERE VIRTUALLY CLEAR. ATC SHOULD HAVE GIVEN SPECIFIC CONFIRMATION OR DENIAL OF CLRNC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.