Narrative:

I was flying the biltmore transition through the phx TCA, southbound at 5500'. I crossed over phx runways at midfield, then south over what I thought was the ahwatukee golf course (it was actually a different golf course, see below). Then I started east to follow the I-10 freeway. The controller on phx approach came on saying, 'you're 2 mi east of biltmore transition. Fly heading 210 degrees back to the transition course.' I responded with, 'roger, right 210.' from there the controller seemed to get very angry, initiating 5 mins of cross examination and tying up the frequency for other traffic. Among the questions he asked was, 'did you accept a clearance for the biltmore transition?' I responded, 'affirmative.' then he asked, 'then why did you accept a clearance if you're not familiar with the route?' after pausing to get my wits together and allow other traffic to use the frequency, I responded with, 'because it's printed on the chart in front of me.' then he spent a few more mins pointing out the landmarks on the south end of the transition and reading excerpts of the textual description of the route in a very angry. During the remainder of that flight and the return trip I heard the controller give similar admonitions to at least 6 other aircraft, which was nearly every aircraft using the transition. When a controller ends up yelling at a high percentage of aircraft doing the same thing, that seems to point out a problem with the problem rather than a pilot problem. In this case, I think the main problem is that the ahwatukee golf course is hidden by the south mountain range until nearly overhead. However, there is a different golf course at the east end of the range that is visible (and about 2 mi east). Only someone intimately familiar with south phoenix would know the difference from the air. Also, since the controller read me parts of the textual description of the transition, it seems he expected me to have read the same textual description. I looked all over the phx TCA chart and could not find it. The main point I wish to stress is that there seems to be a recurring problem with the procedure. Installing a NAVAID, say a VOR on the south mountain range, would eliminate nearly all of these excursions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NGA REPORTER TRANSITIONING THE PHX TCA WANDERS OFF COURSE AND GETS CHEWED OUT BY CTLR.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THE BILTMORE TRANSITION THROUGH THE PHX TCA, SBND AT 5500'. I CROSSED OVER PHX RWYS AT MIDFIELD, THEN S OVER WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE AHWATUKEE GOLF COURSE (IT WAS ACTUALLY A DIFFERENT GOLF COURSE, SEE BELOW). THEN I STARTED E TO FOLLOW THE I-10 FREEWAY. THE CTLR ON PHX APCH CAME ON SAYING, 'YOU'RE 2 MI E OF BILTMORE TRANSITION. FLY HDG 210 DEGS BACK TO THE TRANSITION COURSE.' I RESPONDED WITH, 'ROGER, RIGHT 210.' FROM THERE THE CTLR SEEMED TO GET VERY ANGRY, INITIATING 5 MINS OF CROSS EXAMINATION AND TYING UP THE FREQ FOR OTHER TFC. AMONG THE QUESTIONS HE ASKED WAS, 'DID YOU ACCEPT A CLRNC FOR THE BILTMORE TRANSITION?' I RESPONDED, 'AFFIRMATIVE.' THEN HE ASKED, 'THEN WHY DID YOU ACCEPT A CLRNC IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE RTE?' AFTER PAUSING TO GET MY WITS TOGETHER AND ALLOW OTHER TFC TO USE THE FREQ, I RESPONDED WITH, 'BECAUSE IT'S PRINTED ON THE CHART IN FRONT OF ME.' THEN HE SPENT A FEW MORE MINS POINTING OUT THE LANDMARKS ON THE S END OF THE TRANSITION AND READING EXCERPTS OF THE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION OF THE RTE IN A VERY ANGRY. DURING THE REMAINDER OF THAT FLT AND THE RETURN TRIP I HEARD THE CTLR GIVE SIMILAR ADMONITIONS TO AT LEAST 6 OTHER ACFT, WHICH WAS NEARLY EVERY ACFT USING THE TRANSITION. WHEN A CTLR ENDS UP YELLING AT A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF ACFT DOING THE SAME THING, THAT SEEMS TO POINT OUT A PROB WITH THE PROB RATHER THAN A PLT PROB. IN THIS CASE, I THINK THE MAIN PROB IS THAT THE AHWATUKEE GOLF COURSE IS HIDDEN BY THE S MOUNTAIN RANGE UNTIL NEARLY OVERHEAD. HOWEVER, THERE IS A DIFFERENT GOLF COURSE AT THE E END OF THE RANGE THAT IS VISIBLE (AND ABOUT 2 MI E). ONLY SOMEONE INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH S PHOENIX WOULD KNOW THE DIFFERENCE FROM THE AIR. ALSO, SINCE THE CTLR READ ME PARTS OF THE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRANSITION, IT SEEMS HE EXPECTED ME TO HAVE READ THE SAME TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION. I LOOKED ALL OVER THE PHX TCA CHART AND COULD NOT FIND IT. THE MAIN POINT I WISH TO STRESS IS THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROB WITH THE PROC. INSTALLING A NAVAID, SAY A VOR ON THE S MOUNTAIN RANGE, WOULD ELIMINATE NEARLY ALL OF THESE EXCURSIONS.

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.