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Pilot reported being rusty after lack of flying due to the covid-19 pandemic resulting in communication issues with ATC.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1745071 |
| Time | |
| Date | 202006 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | Initial Climb |
| Route In Use | Direct |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Captain Pilot Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 55 Flight Crew Total 2527 Flight Crew Type 434 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural FAR Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy |
Narrative:
I taxied out to runway xxr. As I was taxiing; ground called me and asked me to squawk the correct transponder code. I was annoyed with myself for not having put it in already - the transponder code that was in the box from the previous flight was close enough to the current one that I had failed to catch it in my preflight checks.I was then cleared to take off on xxr. As I was climbing out; the tower asked me to say altitude. I was climbing up to 1;000 MSL; which was also my final altitude for my VFR flight. I replied that I was passing through 1;000; then corrected myself and said that I was climbing to 1;000 which is what I would maintain. Neither response was correct - tower had asked me for my then current altitude. Tower didn't query me further and I climbed up to 1;000 and soon left class B airspace.I had just returned from a 2 1/2 month covid related leave of absence. I had completed a refresher flight with a company instructor; but this was my first day of operational flying after my return. The incidents with the transponder code and the altitude communication showed me that I was still a bit rusty and not quite up to the standards that I demand of myself as a professional pilot. I have resolved to take it slow and double check my preflights as well as my communications until I feel completely comfortable again.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Pilot reported being rusty after lack of flying due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in communication issues with ATC.
Narrative: I taxied out to Runway XXR. As I was taxiing; Ground called me and asked me to squawk the correct transponder code. I was annoyed with myself for not having put it in already - the transponder code that was in the box from the previous flight was close enough to the current one that I had failed to catch it in my preflight checks.I was then cleared to take off on XXR. As I was climbing out; the Tower asked me to say altitude. I was climbing up to 1;000 MSL; which was also my final altitude for my VFR flight. I replied that I was passing through 1;000; then corrected myself and said that I was climbing to 1;000 which is what I would maintain. Neither response was correct - Tower had asked me for my then current altitude. Tower didn't query me further and I climbed up to 1;000 and soon left Class B airspace.I had just returned from a 2 1/2 month COVID related leave of absence. I had completed a refresher flight with a company instructor; but this was my first day of operational flying after my return. The incidents with the transponder code and the altitude communication showed me that I was still a bit rusty and not quite up to the standards that I demand of myself as a professional pilot. I have resolved to take it slow and double check my preflights as well as my communications until I feel completely comfortable again.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.