Narrative:

My aircraft is equipped with a transponder but has no mode C capability. A mode C waiver was obtained for departure from the kansas city TCA but no waiver was requested by myself for the mem TCA. The reason no waiver was requested for mem was because according to my chart (WAC #cg-20 dated 27 jul 89) there was no TCA at mem. En route I used radar flight following with appropriate FAA facs and was eventually vectored to the pattern and cleared to land by mem approach/tower. At no time was I informed that the mem arsa had just recently become a TCA with a 30 NM mode C ring. Prior to departing mem I obtained a briefing from jackson FSS and filed a VFR flight plan. During runup I monitored the ATIS broadcast and contacted mem clearance delivery as instructed. After receiving VFR departure instructions and a transponder code I contacted ground control, then tower, and took off from runway 18L. After contacting departure control I was asked if I was squawking mode C. I told the controller I had no mode C and it was at that time I was informed that mem now has a TCA. This was my first knowledge of this airspace change. I informed the controller that according to my current chart mem was an arsa. The controller then told me the change was recent and that because of that recency waivers were 'pretty much automatic'. I then further informed the controller that FSS and other FAA facs were not informing pilots of the recent change to a TCA at mem. He acknowledged and continued to vector me out of the TCA. It should be noted that the mem departure controller was very pleasant and helpful and indicated to me that my mode C dilemma was not a problem. Nevertheless, this situation may become a problem for other pilots unless appropriate NOTAMS are issued by FSS and other FAA facs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ENTERED AND DEPARTED MEM TCA UNAWARE THAT A VERY RECENT CHANGE HAD BEEN MADE FROM ARSA TO TCA.

Narrative: MY ACFT IS EQUIPPED WITH A XPONDER BUT HAS NO MODE C CAPABILITY. A MODE C WAIVER WAS OBTAINED FOR DEP FROM THE KANSAS CITY TCA BUT NO WAIVER WAS REQUESTED BY MYSELF FOR THE MEM TCA. THE REASON NO WAIVER WAS REQUESTED FOR MEM WAS BECAUSE ACCORDING TO MY CHART (WAC #CG-20 DATED 27 JUL 89) THERE WAS NO TCA AT MEM. ENRTE I USED RADAR FLT FOLLOWING WITH APPROPRIATE FAA FACS AND WAS EVENTUALLY VECTORED TO THE PATTERN AND CLRED TO LAND BY MEM APCH/TWR. AT NO TIME WAS I INFORMED THAT THE MEM ARSA HAD JUST RECENTLY BECOME A TCA WITH A 30 NM MODE C RING. PRIOR TO DEPARTING MEM I OBTAINED A BRIEFING FROM JACKSON FSS AND FILED A VFR FLT PLAN. DURING RUNUP I MONITORED THE ATIS BROADCAST AND CONTACTED MEM CLRNC DELIVERY AS INSTRUCTED. AFTER RECEIVING VFR DEP INSTRUCTIONS AND A XPONDER CODE I CONTACTED GND CTL, THEN TWR, AND TOOK OFF FROM RWY 18L. AFTER CONTACTING DEP CTL I WAS ASKED IF I WAS SQUAWKING MODE C. I TOLD THE CTLR I HAD NO MODE C AND IT WAS AT THAT TIME I WAS INFORMED THAT MEM NOW HAS A TCA. THIS WAS MY FIRST KNOWLEDGE OF THIS AIRSPACE CHANGE. I INFORMED THE CTLR THAT ACCORDING TO MY CURRENT CHART MEM WAS AN ARSA. THE CTLR THEN TOLD ME THE CHANGE WAS RECENT AND THAT BECAUSE OF THAT RECENCY WAIVERS WERE 'PRETTY MUCH AUTOMATIC'. I THEN FURTHER INFORMED THE CTLR THAT FSS AND OTHER FAA FACS WERE NOT INFORMING PLTS OF THE RECENT CHANGE TO A TCA AT MEM. HE ACKNOWLEDGED AND CONTINUED TO VECTOR ME OUT OF THE TCA. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE MEM DEP CTLR WAS VERY PLEASANT AND HELPFUL AND INDICATED TO ME THAT MY MODE C DILEMMA WAS NOT A PROBLEM. NEVERTHELESS, THIS SITUATION MAY BECOME A PROBLEM FOR OTHER PLTS UNLESS APPROPRIATE NOTAMS ARE ISSUED BY FSS AND OTHER FAA FACS.

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.