Approach unresponsive to flight crew.

Attributes
ACN	289481
Time
Date	199411
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak tower : oak
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	289481
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Cruising at 2500 ft MSL en route to oak. Attempted communication with approach using recently approved company call sign. Previously (all day) our call sign was not recognized and crew had to explain to controllers. Call sign was approved with help of bfl ATC several months ago and was to have been published in all california. Waited several mi for ATC to respond from their standby call. Finally, approaching oak class C, I called approach to announce switch to tower and approach approved. Calling oakland tower which later (closer) than I would like. We arrived without their knowledge (due to difficulties with approach). We caused no major traffic problems (to my knowledge) and landed uneventfully. Oak tower made first position identify at 7 mi northeast of airport. To correct this problem, I think communication between ATC facilities (regarding call sign issue) would be very helpful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH UNRESPONSIVE TO FLC.

Narrative: CRUISING AT 2500 FT MSL ENRTE TO OAK. ATTEMPTED COM WITH APCH USING RECENTLY APPROVED COMPANY CALL SIGN. PREVIOUSLY (ALL DAY) OUR CALL SIGN WAS NOT RECOGNIZED AND CREW HAD TO EXPLAIN TO CTLRS. CALL SIGN WAS APPROVED WITH HELP OF BFL ATC SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AND WAS TO HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN ALL CALIFORNIA. WAITED SEVERAL MI FOR ATC TO RESPOND FROM THEIR STANDBY CALL. FINALLY, APCHING OAK CLASS C, I CALLED APCH TO ANNOUNCE SWITCH TO TWR AND APCH APPROVED. CALLING OAKLAND TWR WHICH LATER (CLOSER) THAN I WOULD LIKE. WE ARRIVED WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE (DUE TO DIFFICULTIES WITH APCH). WE CAUSED NO MAJOR TFC PROBS (TO MY KNOWLEDGE) AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. OAK TWR MADE FIRST POS IDENT AT 7 MI NE OF ARPT. TO CORRECT THIS PROB, I THINK COM BTWN ATC FACILITIES (REGARDING CALL SIGN ISSUE) WOULD BE 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.