Narrative:

While on a VFR x-country flight from hummel field in va, I contacted clt approach approximately 2 mi southwest of rowan county field, I had stopped at rowan county for fuel. I told the controller I was negotiating mode C and at 2500' I told him I would like to go from my present position and continue toward spartanburg and my destination was atl (ryy) field. The controller then gave me a squawk and told me I was radar contact. He then let me proceed an additional 12-15 mi before handing me off to another controller. Upon establishing contact with the second controller, after a moment he asked me if I was mode C equipped. I replied, 'negative mode C.' he then asked me if I was aware that I was supposed to have mode C to fly beneath the TCA or a waiver. I replied no, that I'd told the initial controller I was negative mode C, assuming that by letting me continue on course that it was at the controller's discretion whether or not he handled me. I was told I was radar contact, but was not deviated from my heading nor did he say he was not receiving altitude information. I then asked the second controller if he would like me to deviate from my heading and leave the area. He then told me to continue my present, that I was already 12 mi in. He also asked me my base airport and aircraft #. Although I am aware of the 30 mi veil, due to the fact that he (first controller) let me continue on course, I thought everything was ok. Upon my arrival in atl, while over cordelia, GA, I called ZTL and asked if I could go into kyy negative mode C beneath the TCA. He told me he did not know, but would try and find someone who did. I called him about 5-8 mins later and asked what he found out. He then replied he did not know and could not find anyone who did, but said it would be all right, gave me a squawk and service to my destination. He was very helpful.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER ACCUSED OF FLYING IN THE TCA VEIL WITHOUT MODE C.

Narrative: WHILE ON A VFR X-COUNTRY FLT FROM HUMMEL FIELD IN VA, I CONTACTED CLT APCH APPROX 2 MI SW OF ROWAN COUNTY FIELD, I HAD STOPPED AT ROWAN COUNTY FOR FUEL. I TOLD THE CTLR I WAS NEGOTIATING MODE C AND AT 2500' I TOLD HIM I WOULD LIKE TO GO FROM MY PRESENT POS AND CONTINUE TOWARD SPARTANBURG AND MY DEST WAS ATL (RYY) FIELD. THE CTLR THEN GAVE ME A SQUAWK AND TOLD ME I WAS RADAR CONTACT. HE THEN LET ME PROCEED AN ADDITIONAL 12-15 MI BEFORE HANDING ME OFF TO ANOTHER CTLR. UPON ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH THE SECOND CTLR, AFTER A MOMENT HE ASKED ME IF I WAS MODE C EQUIPPED. I REPLIED, 'NEGATIVE MODE C.' HE THEN ASKED ME IF I WAS AWARE THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE MODE C TO FLY BENEATH THE TCA OR A WAIVER. I REPLIED NO, THAT I'D TOLD THE INITIAL CTLR I WAS NEGATIVE MODE C, ASSUMING THAT BY LETTING ME CONTINUE ON COURSE THAT IT WAS AT THE CTLR'S DISCRETION WHETHER OR NOT HE HANDLED ME. I WAS TOLD I WAS RADAR CONTACT, BUT WAS NOT DEVIATED FROM MY HDG NOR DID HE SAY HE WAS NOT RECEIVING ALT INFO. I THEN ASKED THE SECOND CTLR IF HE WOULD LIKE ME TO DEVIATE FROM MY HDG AND LEAVE THE AREA. HE THEN TOLD ME TO CONTINUE MY PRESENT, THAT I WAS ALREADY 12 MI IN. HE ALSO ASKED ME MY BASE ARPT AND ACFT #. ALTHOUGH I AM AWARE OF THE 30 MI VEIL, DUE TO THE FACT THAT HE (FIRST CTLR) LET ME CONTINUE ON COURSE, I THOUGHT EVERYTHING WAS OK. UPON MY ARR IN ATL, WHILE OVER CORDELIA, GA, I CALLED ZTL AND ASKED IF I COULD GO INTO KYY NEGATIVE MODE C BENEATH THE TCA. HE TOLD ME HE DID NOT KNOW, BUT WOULD TRY AND FIND SOMEONE WHO DID. I CALLED HIM ABOUT 5-8 MINS LATER AND ASKED WHAT HE FOUND OUT. HE THEN REPLIED HE DID NOT KNOW AND COULD NOT FIND ANYONE WHO DID, BUT SAID IT WOULD BE ALL RIGHT, GAVE ME A SQUAWK AND SVC TO MY DEST. HE WAS VERY HELPFUL.

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.