Pilot of GA small aircraft aircraft questioned ATC procedure regarding separation outside a TCA.

Attributes
ACN	236537
Time
Date	199303
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gyy
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord artcc : zme
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 5675 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	236537
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Established radio contact with ord approach 118.4. At XA00 pm CST advised of photo mission northwest of gary, ind. Radar contact was established but no altitude verification was exchanged. At photo site traffic was exchanged and altitude was used to separate. Again no altitude was verified of my aircraft. What kind of separation is being used? Is this common practice now? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: advised reporter that ATC does not provide separation outside of TCA in VFR conditions and that separation would have been provided if he had requested entry into the TCA and a clearance provided. He was further advised that he did the correct procedure by contacting approach and providing his intentions with transponder on in order that ATC could provide him and others with advisory traffic information and that he was in a see and avoid concept area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF GA SMA ACFT QUESTIONED ATC PROC REGARDING SEPARATION OUTSIDE A TCA.

Narrative: ESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT WITH ORD APCH 118.4. AT XA00 PM CST ADVISED OF PHOTO MISSION NW OF GARY, IND. RADAR CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED BUT NO ALT VERIFICATION WAS EXCHANGED. AT PHOTO SITE TFC WAS EXCHANGED AND ALT WAS USED TO SEPARATE. AGAIN NO ALT WAS VERIFIED OF MY ACFT. WHAT KIND OF SEPARATION IS BEING USED? IS THIS COMMON PRACTICE NOW? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ADVISED RPTR THAT ATC DOES NOT PROVIDE SEPARATION OUTSIDE OF TCA IN VFR CONDITIONS AND THAT SEPARATION WOULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED IF HE HAD REQUESTED ENTRY INTO THE TCA AND A CLRNC PROVIDED. HE WAS FURTHER ADVISED THAT HE DID THE CORRECT PROC BY CONTACTING APCH AND PROVIDING HIS INTENTIONS WITH XPONDER ON IN ORDER THAT ATC COULD PROVIDE HIM AND OTHERS WITH ADVISORY TFC INFO AND THAT HE WAS IN A SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT AREA.

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.