Narrative:

My route of flight was from bnd to louisville, ky. While en route, I checked with ZID to find out which approach procedure to use at bowman field. They said I could expect the VOR runway 24 approach at bowman field. I then studied the approach plate and set the radio gear up for the approach accordingly. Shortly thereafter, I was told to contact sdf approach on 124.5. When I called sdf, they said that the sdf winds were out of the northwest and asked if I could accept the VOR runway 32 approach. I agreed and proceeded with studying the approach plate and setting up the aircraft. I was given a vector to intercept the final approach course and cleared for the approach. I was also told to contact louisville radio on 119.5. I called them and they told me that a twin was inbound for runway 19, and that the winds were 180 degrees at 13 KTS. At this point I was rather disturbed with louisville FSS and sdf approach control. I stated that if the winds were favoring runway 19, then I would like that approach procedure. They spoke with sdf approach on their landline for a few mins and then told me to contact sdf approach on 124.5. I called them and they gave me a series of vectors, lined me up on final approach, and cleared me for the approach. They then said to call louisville radio on 119.5. I called them and they gave me an airport advisory and told me to report when I was down and clear. I landed west/O incident and reported down and clear as instructed. All of this changing around in such a short period of time was very frustrating. I was given 3 different approachs to 3 different runways using 2 different approach fixes all in a 15 min time period. I was flying in marginal WX conditions. I had just checked out in the small transport. My chkride covered me in both models. Up until this night I had been flying in the other model small transport. I was placed in the small transport on the spur of the moment for this trip. Due to my deadline, I really didn't have much time to familiarize myself with the differences in the cockpit. Flying single-pilot night IFR in multi-engine aircraft can be a difficult job. The aircraft had to be hand-flown because ATC instructions could not be properly followed using the autoplt. I am glad I was using a headset. I believe this situation could have been avoided if sdf approach and louisville had better cooperation and coordination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SINGLE PLT IFR IN LIGHT TWIN AT NIGHT OPERATION, PLT COMPLAINS OF ATC HANDLING BECAUSE THEY SWITCH APCHS A FEW TIMES.

Narrative: MY RTE OF FLT WAS FROM BND TO LOUISVILLE, KY. WHILE ENRTE, I CHKED WITH ZID TO FIND OUT WHICH APCH PROC TO USE AT BOWMAN FIELD. THEY SAID I COULD EXPECT THE VOR RWY 24 APCH AT BOWMAN FIELD. I THEN STUDIED THE APCH PLATE AND SET THE RADIO GEAR UP FOR THE APCH ACCORDINGLY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT SDF APCH ON 124.5. WHEN I CALLED SDF, THEY SAID THAT THE SDF WINDS WERE OUT OF THE NW AND ASKED IF I COULD ACCEPT THE VOR RWY 32 APCH. I AGREED AND PROCEEDED WITH STUDYING THE APCH PLATE AND SETTING UP THE ACFT. I WAS GIVEN A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT THE FINAL APCH COURSE AND CLRED FOR THE APCH. I WAS ALSO TOLD TO CONTACT LOUISVILLE RADIO ON 119.5. I CALLED THEM AND THEY TOLD ME THAT A TWIN WAS INBND FOR RWY 19, AND THAT THE WINDS WERE 180 DEGS AT 13 KTS. AT THIS POINT I WAS RATHER DISTURBED WITH LOUISVILLE FSS AND SDF APCH CTL. I STATED THAT IF THE WINDS WERE FAVORING RWY 19, THEN I WOULD LIKE THAT APCH PROC. THEY SPOKE WITH SDF APCH ON THEIR LANDLINE FOR A FEW MINS AND THEN TOLD ME TO CONTACT SDF APCH ON 124.5. I CALLED THEM AND THEY GAVE ME A SERIES OF VECTORS, LINED ME UP ON FINAL APCH, AND CLRED ME FOR THE APCH. THEY THEN SAID TO CALL LOUISVILLE RADIO ON 119.5. I CALLED THEM AND THEY GAVE ME AN ARPT ADVISORY AND TOLD ME TO RPT WHEN I WAS DOWN AND CLR. I LANDED W/O INCIDENT AND RPTED DOWN AND CLR AS INSTRUCTED. ALL OF THIS CHANGING AROUND IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WAS VERY FRUSTRATING. I WAS GIVEN 3 DIFFERENT APCHS TO 3 DIFFERENT RWYS USING 2 DIFFERENT APCH FIXES ALL IN A 15 MIN TIME PERIOD. I WAS FLYING IN MARGINAL WX CONDITIONS. I HAD JUST CHKED OUT IN THE SMT. MY CHKRIDE COVERED ME IN BOTH MODELS. UP UNTIL THIS NIGHT I HAD BEEN FLYING IN THE OTHER MODEL SMT. I WAS PLACED IN THE SMT ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT FOR THIS TRIP. DUE TO MY DEADLINE, I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH THE DIFFERENCES IN THE COCKPIT. FLYING SINGLE-PLT NIGHT IFR IN MULTI-ENG ACFT CAN BE A DIFFICULT JOB. THE ACFT HAD TO BE HAND-FLOWN BECAUSE ATC INSTRUCTIONS COULD NOT BE PROPERLY FOLLOWED USING THE AUTOPLT. I AM GLAD I WAS USING A HEADSET. I BELIEVE THIS SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF SDF APCH AND LOUISVILLE HAD BETTER COOPERATION AND COORD.

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.