Narrative:

I approached denver class B airspace from the north. About 40-45 NM out I was cleared to enter by denver approach and was assigned the VFR pathway west of I-25 to centennial airport (apa), my destination within the class B airspace. I was handed off to apa ATC and was cleared to land. Winds of 25 mph gusting to 35-40 KTS, a significant low level shear, high density altitude, and a crosswind component were present. I made 2 approachs in my tailwheel C180 before asking for help in finding a local airport with better conditions. The apa tower was very helpful. She called jeffco (bjc) and reported bjc was much better. She had me continue downwind (north) while she called bjc, at traffic pattern altitude. I told her my intention was to go to bjc. Apa to bjc is only 23 NM, and by then I was well on my way. Apa ATC authority/authorized frequency change. I contacted bjc ATIS, then tower, was cleared to land, and did so without a problem. My concern is over not having contacted denver approach again after being given frequency change permission by apa ATC, before calling up bjc. Because apa ATC did not direct me to contact denver approach I assumed I did not need to talk to them. Now I wonder. While I was within the 30 NM mode C ring, I was well below the 8000 ft MSL floor the entire time from apa to bjc. I was essentially in the VFR flyway en route to bjc. No traffic incidents occurred. I continued to monitor denver approach on their last assigned frequency. On the negative side of 'human performance consideration,' I have little experience in class B airspace. On the positive side, I have never been cited or had an 'incident.' I was well rested, had 5 hours fuel onboard, an alert navigator with me, appropriate IFR, VFR and denver terminal area VFR charts out.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C180 PLT DIVERTED FROM APA TO BJC BECAUSE OF STRONG XWIND.

Narrative: I APCHED DENVER CLASS B AIRSPACE FROM THE N. ABOUT 40-45 NM OUT I WAS CLRED TO ENTER BY DENVER APCH AND WAS ASSIGNED THE VFR PATHWAY W OF I-25 TO CENTENNIAL ARPT (APA), MY DEST WITHIN THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. I WAS HANDED OFF TO APA ATC AND WAS CLRED TO LAND. WINDS OF 25 MPH GUSTING TO 35-40 KTS, A SIGNIFICANT LOW LEVEL SHEAR, HIGH DENSITY ALT, AND A XWIND COMPONENT WERE PRESENT. I MADE 2 APCHS IN MY TAILWHEEL C180 BEFORE ASKING FOR HELP IN FINDING A LCL ARPT WITH BETTER CONDITIONS. THE APA TWR WAS VERY HELPFUL. SHE CALLED JEFFCO (BJC) AND RPTED BJC WAS MUCH BETTER. SHE HAD ME CONTINUE DOWNWIND (N) WHILE SHE CALLED BJC, AT TFC PATTERN ALT. I TOLD HER MY INTENTION WAS TO GO TO BJC. APA TO BJC IS ONLY 23 NM, AND BY THEN I WAS WELL ON MY WAY. APA ATC AUTH FREQ CHANGE. I CONTACTED BJC ATIS, THEN TWR, WAS CLRED TO LAND, AND DID SO WITHOUT A PROB. MY CONCERN IS OVER NOT HAVING CONTACTED DENVER APCH AGAIN AFTER BEING GIVEN FREQ CHANGE PERMISSION BY APA ATC, BEFORE CALLING UP BJC. BECAUSE APA ATC DID NOT DIRECT ME TO CONTACT DENVER APCH I ASSUMED I DID NOT NEED TO TALK TO THEM. NOW I WONDER. WHILE I WAS WITHIN THE 30 NM MODE C RING, I WAS WELL BELOW THE 8000 FT MSL FLOOR THE ENTIRE TIME FROM APA TO BJC. I WAS ESSENTIALLY IN THE VFR FLYWAY ENRTE TO BJC. NO TFC INCIDENTS OCCURRED. I CONTINUED TO MONITOR DENVER APCH ON THEIR LAST ASSIGNED FREQ. ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF 'HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATION,' I HAVE LITTLE EXPERIENCE IN CLASS B AIRSPACE. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, I HAVE NEVER BEEN CITED OR HAD AN 'INCIDENT.' I WAS WELL RESTED, HAD 5 HRS FUEL ONBOARD, AN ALERT NAVIGATOR WITH ME, APPROPRIATE IFR, VFR AND DENVER TERMINAL AREA VFR CHARTS OUT.

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.