Instructor pilot questions the required procedure for operating VFR in restr airspace when the airsp...

Attributes
ACN	366311
Time
Date	199704
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pdt
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cle
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-5
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	other other : other pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 595 flight time type : 63
ASRS Report	366311
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I was assisting the new owner of a maule M5-210C in ferrying the aircraft from den to sea. For the portion of the flight from den to byi, I was the PIC. This was primarily due to my experience in flying in the rocky mountains. The new owner was very familiar with flying in the northwest and requested to be the PIC from byi to sea. At about XX30 we were in cruise flight between pendleton, wa, and the dalles, or, when I noticed the PIC was on a direct course through the boardman, or, R-5701 and R-5706 restr airspace. Prior to entering the restr airspace I informed the PIC that a clearance from ZSE was required in order to enter the airspace in question. The PIC informed me that the sectional indicated that the airspace was only restr monday-friday and at other times by NOTAM. Since FSS did not indicate that the airspace was active then it was alright to transition the restr areas without a clearance. I have always believed that a clearance was always required regardless of the fact that it (the restr airspace) was active or not. In discussing this situation with several other instructors it was felt that a clearance was always required. The aim clearly indicates what the procedures are with aircraft on IFR clrncs. The procedures are not as clear for VFR operations and are subject to different interps such as I encountered. To make the situation even more confusing I telephoned ZSE to obtain their understanding of the appropriate VFR procedures. I was informed that ZSE only expected to be contacted for a clearance during the times listed in the sectional or when indicated by NOTAM. The more I inquire into this issue the more confusing it becomes. Either there is a lot of confusion and/or misunderstanding regarding restr airspace or there are regional differences and procedures associated with restr airspace. It would be extremely beneficial if the aim was amended to provide the correct, unquestionable, VFR procedures for entering and transitioning sua such as restr areas. I will continue investigating what the correct procedures are in order to pass the information along to students and associates.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR PLT QUESTIONS THE REQUIRED PROC FOR OPERATING VFR IN RESTR AIRSPACE WHEN THE AIRSPACE IS NOT IN USE. AERO CHART INDICATES TO CONTACT THE NEAREST FSS FOR INFO.

Narrative: I WAS ASSISTING THE NEW OWNER OF A MAULE M5-210C IN FERRYING THE ACFT FROM DEN TO SEA. FOR THE PORTION OF THE FLT FROM DEN TO BYI, I WAS THE PIC. THIS WAS PRIMARILY DUE TO MY EXPERIENCE IN FLYING IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. THE NEW OWNER WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH FLYING IN THE NW AND REQUESTED TO BE THE PIC FROM BYI TO SEA. AT ABOUT XX30 WE WERE IN CRUISE FLT BTWN PENDLETON, WA, AND THE DALLES, OR, WHEN I NOTICED THE PIC WAS ON A DIRECT COURSE THROUGH THE BOARDMAN, OR, R-5701 AND R-5706 RESTR AIRSPACE. PRIOR TO ENTERING THE RESTR AIRSPACE I INFORMED THE PIC THAT A CLRNC FROM ZSE WAS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO ENTER THE AIRSPACE IN QUESTION. THE PIC INFORMED ME THAT THE SECTIONAL INDICATED THAT THE AIRSPACE WAS ONLY RESTR MONDAY-FRIDAY AND AT OTHER TIMES BY NOTAM. SINCE FSS DID NOT INDICATE THAT THE AIRSPACE WAS ACTIVE THEN IT WAS ALRIGHT TO TRANSITION THE RESTR AREAS WITHOUT A CLRNC. I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT A CLRNC WAS ALWAYS REQUIRED REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT IT (THE RESTR AIRSPACE) WAS ACTIVE OR NOT. IN DISCUSSING THIS SIT WITH SEVERAL OTHER INSTRUCTORS IT WAS FELT THAT A CLRNC WAS ALWAYS REQUIRED. THE AIM CLRLY INDICATES WHAT THE PROCS ARE WITH ACFT ON IFR CLRNCS. THE PROCS ARE NOT AS CLR FOR VFR OPS AND ARE SUBJECT TO DIFFERENT INTERPS SUCH AS I ENCOUNTERED. TO MAKE THE SIT EVEN MORE CONFUSING I TELEPHONED ZSE TO OBTAIN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE APPROPRIATE VFR PROCS. I WAS INFORMED THAT ZSE ONLY EXPECTED TO BE CONTACTED FOR A CLRNC DURING THE TIMES LISTED IN THE SECTIONAL OR WHEN INDICATED BY NOTAM. THE MORE I INQUIRE INTO THIS ISSUE THE MORE CONFUSING IT BECOMES. EITHER THERE IS A LOT OF CONFUSION AND/OR MISUNDERSTANDING REGARDING RESTR AIRSPACE OR THERE ARE REGIONAL DIFFERENCES AND PROCS ASSOCIATED WITH RESTR AIRSPACE. IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL IF THE AIM WAS AMENDED TO PROVIDE THE CORRECT, UNQUESTIONABLE, VFR PROCS FOR ENTERING AND TRANSITIONING SUA SUCH AS RESTR AREAS. I WILL CONTINUE INVESTIGATING WHAT THE CORRECT PROCS ARE IN ORDER TO PASS THE INFO ALONG TO STUDENTS AND ASSOCIATES.

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.

Instructor pilot questions the required procedure for operating VFR in restr airspace when the airspace is not in use. Aeronautical chart indicates to contact the nearest FSS for information.