Narrative:

Departed hospital, en route to xyz field, VFR, 4500 ft direct xyz, EMS flight. While crossing a lake talked with various center controllers, then with approach. At approximately 35 NM northeast from xyz was advised radar service terminated, squawk 1200. Advised approach I requested radar services to xyz. Told to standby. After approximately 3 mins was advised to contact center for further flight following, and did so. After short mix up with aircraft identify, abcd not abdc, controller advised radar contact, confirmed xyz field as destination. Approximately 5 mins later was told that XXX airport runway 27 would be open, and expect aircraft overhead!! I rogered that, was still 4500 ft 'radar contact.' approximately 2 mins later, was told I was entering class B airspace, without a clearance, told center I was leaving 4500 ft for 3600 ft floor of class B airspace at 25 NM. After reaching 3600 ft was told to contact xyz tower (approximately 10 NM from xyz). No further contact made with center. During my approach over the lake I maintained 4500 ft, as I had done for more than 100 NM. Was not told to remain clear of class B airspace, or told to descend below it. Per aim pilot/controller glossary nov/xx/95, pcgr-1 'radar contact paragraph (B) -- radar contact.' the term used to inform the controller that the aircraft is idented and approval is granted for the aircraft to enter the receiving controller's airspace. If this is incorrect for class B airspace, it needs to say so in the aim. This day the WX was clear, 30 mi visibility. During departure from xyz an IFR flight plan was filed, back to home base during VFR conditions, further tying up an already overloaded system, so as to have positive control, and flight following. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he is aware of the necessity for a clearance to enter class B, but the aim states that he was clear to enter class B. He was counseled that the far 91.131 takes precedence over the aim statement. Reporter has discussed with the local FSDO and made a trip to the control tower to discuss the situation with the controllers. The controller handbook states very clearly that a clearance is required as does the aim in reference to class B airspace. Reporter feels these procedures differ from the statement in aim that 'radar contact' indicates approval is granted to enter the receiving controller's airspace. Reporter was counseled that the far takes precedence over aim.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELI PLT ENTERS CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: DEPARTED HOSPITAL, ENRTE TO XYZ FIELD, VFR, 4500 FT DIRECT XYZ, EMS FLT. WHILE XING A LAKE TALKED WITH VARIOUS CTR CTLRS, THEN WITH APCH. AT APPROX 35 NM NE FROM XYZ WAS ADVISED RADAR SVC TERMINATED, SQUAWK 1200. ADVISED APCH I REQUESTED RADAR SVCS TO XYZ. TOLD TO STANDBY. AFTER APPROX 3 MINS WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT CTR FOR FURTHER FLT FOLLOWING, AND DID SO. AFTER SHORT MIX UP WITH ACFT IDENT, ABCD NOT ABDC, CTLR ADVISED RADAR CONTACT, CONFIRMED XYZ FIELD AS DEST. APPROX 5 MINS LATER WAS TOLD THAT XXX ARPT RWY 27 WOULD BE OPEN, AND EXPECT ACFT OVERHEAD!! I ROGERED THAT, WAS STILL 4500 FT 'RADAR CONTACT.' APPROX 2 MINS LATER, WAS TOLD I WAS ENTERING CLASS B AIRSPACE, WITHOUT A CLRNC, TOLD CTR I WAS LEAVING 4500 FT FOR 3600 FT FLOOR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE AT 25 NM. AFTER REACHING 3600 FT WAS TOLD TO CONTACT XYZ TWR (APPROX 10 NM FROM XYZ). NO FURTHER CONTACT MADE WITH CTR. DURING MY APCH OVER THE LAKE I MAINTAINED 4500 FT, AS I HAD DONE FOR MORE THAN 100 NM. WAS NOT TOLD TO REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE, OR TOLD TO DSND BELOW IT. PER AIM PLT/CTLR GLOSSARY NOV/XX/95, PCGR-1 'RADAR CONTACT PARAGRAPH (B) -- RADAR CONTACT.' THE TERM USED TO INFORM THE CTLR THAT THE ACFT IS IDENTED AND APPROVAL IS GRANTED FOR THE ACFT TO ENTER THE RECEIVING CTLR'S AIRSPACE. IF THIS IS INCORRECT FOR CLASS B AIRSPACE, IT NEEDS TO SAY SO IN THE AIM. THIS DAY THE WX WAS CLR, 30 MI VISIBILITY. DURING DEP FROM XYZ AN IFR FLT PLAN WAS FILED, BACK TO HOME BASE DURING VFR CONDITIONS, FURTHER TYING UP AN ALREADY OVERLOADED SYS, SO AS TO HAVE POSITIVE CTL, AND FLT FOLLOWING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE IS AWARE OF THE NECESSITY FOR A CLRNC TO ENTER CLASS B, BUT THE AIM STATES THAT HE WAS CLR TO ENTER CLASS B. HE WAS COUNSELED THAT THE FAR 91.131 TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER THE AIM STATEMENT. RPTR HAS DISCUSSED WITH THE LCL FSDO AND MADE A TRIP TO THE CTL TWR TO DISCUSS THE SIT WITH THE CTLRS. THE CTLR HANDBOOK STATES VERY CLRLY THAT A CLRNC IS REQUIRED AS DOES THE AIM IN REF TO CLASS B AIRSPACE. RPTR FEELS THESE PROCS DIFFER FROM THE STATEMENT IN AIM THAT 'RADAR CONTACT' INDICATES APPROVAL IS GRANTED TO ENTER THE RECEIVING CTLR'S AIRSPACE. RPTR WAS COUNSELED THAT THE FAR TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER AIM.

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.