Passenger reporter who is also a pilot complains that ZOB will not make VFR handoffs to dtw approach during descent into the area near the western shore of lake st clair.

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Attributes
ACN	126828
Time
Date	199001
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : det
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob tracon : dtw
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 168 flight time total : 1521 flight time type : 32
ASRS Report	126828
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

In this part of the country ZOB will give you radar advisories only to a certain point east of the western shore of lake st clair. For some reason, they cannot hand you off to detroit approach while they are giving you VFR radar advisories. They have you squawk VFR 1200 and on your own to contact detroit approach. This leaves you very near if not almost in 3 air traffic area's while descending for an uncontrolled field in the area, while trying to contact detroit approach immediately -- and they are usually very busy. An IFR clearance was then requested. ATC took some time to get one while still flying through the area. A visual approach was issued and IFR cancelled. I think that the 2 ATC facs should coordinate together so that VFR aircraft receiving radar advisories will not be put in this tight situation. Also departing wbound ATC will not always answer or keep advising you to contact other approach or departure controllers for VFR advisories while you are climbing to avoid air traffic area's and almost in if not already over the canada border line over the lake before a controller gives you a squawk code and VFR advisories.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PASSENGER REPORTER WHO IS ALSO A PLT COMPLAINS THAT ZOB WILL NOT MAKE VFR HANDOFFS TO DTW APCH DURING DESCENT INTO THE AREA NEAR THE WESTERN SHORE OF LAKE ST CLAIR.

Narrative: IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY ZOB WILL GIVE YOU RADAR ADVISORIES ONLY TO A CERTAIN POINT E OF THE WESTERN SHORE OF LAKE ST CLAIR. FOR SOME REASON, THEY CANNOT HAND YOU OFF TO DETROIT APCH WHILE THEY ARE GIVING YOU VFR RADAR ADVISORIES. THEY HAVE YOU SQUAWK VFR 1200 AND ON YOUR OWN TO CONTACT DETROIT APCH. THIS LEAVES YOU VERY NEAR IF NOT ALMOST IN 3 ATA'S WHILE DESCENDING FOR AN UNCONTROLLED FIELD IN THE AREA, WHILE TRYING TO CONTACT DETROIT APCH IMMEDIATELY -- AND THEY ARE USUALLY VERY BUSY. AN IFR CLRNC WAS THEN REQUESTED. ATC TOOK SOME TIME TO GET ONE WHILE STILL FLYING THROUGH THE AREA. A VISUAL APCH WAS ISSUED AND IFR CANCELLED. I THINK THAT THE 2 ATC FACS SHOULD COORDINATE TOGETHER SO THAT VFR ACFT RECEIVING RADAR ADVISORIES WILL NOT BE PUT IN THIS TIGHT SITUATION. ALSO DEPARTING WBOUND ATC WILL NOT ALWAYS ANSWER OR KEEP ADVISING YOU TO CONTACT OTHER APCH OR DEP CTLRS FOR VFR ADVISORIES WHILE YOU ARE CLIMBING TO AVOID ATA'S AND ALMOST IN IF NOT ALREADY OVER THE CANADA BORDER LINE OVER THE LAKE BEFORE A CTLR GIVES YOU A SQUAWK CODE AND VFR ADVISORIES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.