Narrative:

On mar/xa/99, at approximately XX45, I was on a short sightseeing trip with 1 passenger. As I approached grand rapids from the west, my passenger asked if we could fly over the downtown area. I knew we were near the class C airspace but for some reason I thought the downtown area was just outside the class C airspace (I had never flown over the downtown area before). I made a quick loop over the downtown area without giving it much thought then proceeded on a southwest heading. A week later, I was studying the sectional for another flight and I realized I may have violated the entry requirements for the class C airspace, since the downtown area is actually within the radius of the class C boundary and I was not in communication with grand rapids approach. I honestly cannot remember exactly what altitude I was at when we were over the downtown area but I think it was between 1800-2500 ft MSL. The class C airspace in this area extends from 2000 ft to 4800 ft MSL. If I was above 2000 ft MSL, then I may have violated the class C airspace for as long as 10 mins or so. I do not know if this situation is important enough to report, but I take pride in being a proficient, safe pilot and in following the rules. Becoming a pilot is possibly my life's greatest achievement but it means nothing to me if I can't do it well. This lapse in judgement is atypical for me and I am bothered by it. I hope this report will set things right. Additional factors: the controllers in grand rapids seem very helpful and professional, but I am sometimes reluctant to call for flight following when I am just sightseeing and not flying to a particular destination or inbound for landing. They are quite busy and I find it somewhat cumbersome to explain my intentions. Had I not been reluctant to call them, I would have avoided any possible inadvertent airspace incursions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A PIPER PA28-161 INADVERTENTLY ENTERED CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT CONTACT WITH ATC.

Narrative: ON MAR/XA/99, AT APPROX XX45, I WAS ON A SHORT SIGHTSEEING TRIP WITH 1 PAX. AS I APCHED GRAND RAPIDS FROM THE W, MY PAX ASKED IF WE COULD FLY OVER THE DOWNTOWN AREA. I KNEW WE WERE NEAR THE CLASS C AIRSPACE BUT FOR SOME REASON I THOUGHT THE DOWNTOWN AREA WAS JUST OUTSIDE THE CLASS C AIRSPACE (I HAD NEVER FLOWN OVER THE DOWNTOWN AREA BEFORE). I MADE A QUICK LOOP OVER THE DOWNTOWN AREA WITHOUT GIVING IT MUCH THOUGHT THEN PROCEEDED ON A SW HDG. A WK LATER, I WAS STUDYING THE SECTIONAL FOR ANOTHER FLT AND I REALIZED I MAY HAVE VIOLATED THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CLASS C AIRSPACE, SINCE THE DOWNTOWN AREA IS ACTUALLY WITHIN THE RADIUS OF THE CLASS C BOUNDARY AND I WAS NOT IN COM WITH GRAND RAPIDS APCH. I HONESTLY CANNOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT ALT I WAS AT WHEN WE WERE OVER THE DOWNTOWN AREA BUT I THINK IT WAS BTWN 1800-2500 FT MSL. THE CLASS C AIRSPACE IN THIS AREA EXTENDS FROM 2000 FT TO 4800 FT MSL. IF I WAS ABOVE 2000 FT MSL, THEN I MAY HAVE VIOLATED THE CLASS C AIRSPACE FOR AS LONG AS 10 MINS OR SO. I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS SIT IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO RPT, BUT I TAKE PRIDE IN BEING A PROFICIENT, SAFE PLT AND IN FOLLOWING THE RULES. BECOMING A PLT IS POSSIBLY MY LIFE'S GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT BUT IT MEANS NOTHING TO ME IF I CAN'T DO IT WELL. THIS LAPSE IN JUDGEMENT IS ATYPICAL FOR ME AND I AM BOTHERED BY IT. I HOPE THIS RPT WILL SET THINGS RIGHT. ADDITIONAL FACTORS: THE CTLRS IN GRAND RAPIDS SEEM VERY HELPFUL AND PROFESSIONAL, BUT I AM SOMETIMES RELUCTANT TO CALL FOR FLT FOLLOWING WHEN I AM JUST SIGHTSEEING AND NOT FLYING TO A PARTICULAR DEST OR INBOUND FOR LNDG. THEY ARE QUITE BUSY AND I FIND IT SOMEWHAT CUMBERSOME TO EXPLAIN MY INTENTIONS. HAD I NOT BEEN RELUCTANT TO CALL THEM, I WOULD HAVE AVOIDED ANY POSSIBLE INADVERTENT AIRSPACE INCURSIONS.

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.