Narrative:

My flight plan route was to depart cherokee county airport, V97 atl direct tiroe intersection, V241 rrs direct pfn. My clearance was 'cleared as filed, climb to 6000, V97.' approximately 15 NM north of atl on V97, ATC issued the first heading change, a few mins later he issued another, and finally a third which put me back on V97. I then crossed the atl VOR, and turned right to heading 228 direct tiroe intersection, (my flight planned and cleared routing). Approximately 8 NM later, ATC got angry with me. He asked my heading. I replied '230.' he told me to steer 140, then 180. I got established on a 1870 degree heading, and he handed me off to another sector controller. I think the new frequency was one I was on previously. I eventually got handed off to columbus ATC, and went on as planned. I don't know where this episode started. As far as I know, I did the right thing by staying with my flight planned and cleared route. Apparently he had another plan in mind, but he never told me. He never said 'vectors' or 'amendment to your clearance', or anything else that I'm used to hearing when ATC steers me on other than my flight planned route. Isn't he required to say something like fly heading 180, radar vectors, expect on course in 14 mi? That's the kind of thing that I'm used to hearing. After that first heading assignment, and I accepted, should I have considered that an amendment to my clearance? And/or should I have double checked (asked). Next time I will ask, or probably decline the new heading until I find out where he wants me to go, why, and what I should expect. Maybe this episode was half his fault for not telling me what, and half my fault for not asking.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA TWIN GIVEN HDG WHICH TOOK HIM BACK ONTO HIS PLANNED CLRED V97 COURSE. LATER AS PLT FOLLOWED HIS FLT PLAN COURSE CTLR EXPRESSED DISPLEASURE.

Narrative: MY FLT PLAN RTE WAS TO DEPART CHEROKEE COUNTY ARPT, V97 ATL DIRECT TIROE INTXN, V241 RRS DIRECT PFN. MY CLRNC WAS 'CLRED AS FILED, CLB TO 6000, V97.' APPROX 15 NM N OF ATL ON V97, ATC ISSUED THE FIRST HDG CHANGE, A FEW MINS LATER HE ISSUED ANOTHER, AND FINALLY A THIRD WHICH PUT ME BACK ON V97. I THEN CROSSED THE ATL VOR, AND TURNED R TO HDG 228 DIRECT TIROE INTXN, (MY FLT PLANNED AND CLRED RTING). APPROX 8 NM LATER, ATC GOT ANGRY WITH ME. HE ASKED MY HDG. I REPLIED '230.' HE TOLD ME TO STEER 140, THEN 180. I GOT ESTABLISHED ON A 1870 DEG HDG, AND HE HANDED ME OFF TO ANOTHER SECTOR CTLR. I THINK THE NEW FREQ WAS ONE I WAS ON PREVIOUSLY. I EVENTUALLY GOT HANDED OFF TO COLUMBUS ATC, AND WENT ON AS PLANNED. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS EPISODE STARTED. AS FAR AS I KNOW, I DID THE RIGHT THING BY STAYING WITH MY FLT PLANNED AND CLRED RTE. APPARENTLY HE HAD ANOTHER PLAN IN MIND, BUT HE NEVER TOLD ME. HE NEVER SAID 'VECTORS' OR 'AMENDMENT TO YOUR CLRNC', OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT I'M USED TO HEARING WHEN ATC STEERS ME ON OTHER THAN MY FLT PLANNED RTE. ISN'T HE REQUIRED TO SAY SOMETHING LIKE FLY HDG 180, RADAR VECTORS, EXPECT ON COURSE IN 14 MI? THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT I'M USED TO HEARING. AFTER THAT FIRST HDG ASSIGNMENT, AND I ACCEPTED, SHOULD I HAVE CONSIDERED THAT AN AMENDMENT TO MY CLRNC? AND/OR SHOULD I HAVE DOUBLE CHKED (ASKED). NEXT TIME I WILL ASK, OR PROBABLY DECLINE THE NEW HDG UNTIL I FIND OUT WHERE HE WANTS ME TO GO, WHY, AND WHAT I SHOULD EXPECT. MAYBE THIS EPISODE WAS HALF HIS FAULT FOR NOT TELLING ME WHAT, AND HALF MY FAULT FOR NOT ASKING.

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.