Narrative:

On a busy friday afternoon, I took off from fme (tipton airfield) in fort meade, md. After listening to the bwi ATIS, I contacted bwi approach control on 119.7. I gave them my location (over ft meade), my altitude (1300 ft MSL), and my intentions (inbound to baltimore). The approach controller told me to expect runway 33R. After circling tipton for about 10 or more mins, I contacted bwi approach again to be sure they hadn't forgotten me. I was waiting for my clearance into class B and a vector for sequence in to runway 33R. The class B floor above tipton is 1500 ft MSL. The approach controller inquired about my squawk even though I was never given this over the frequency. Other VFR traffic had been assigned beacon codes after me as if the controller reserved a code but did not relay it to me. Then he proceeded to direct me to fly a heading of 100 degrees and climb and maintain 2000 ft. I wasn't given clearance into class B. I inquired about this and the controller responded with the term 'vectors into class B.' I do not believe that a vector into class B is an acceptable substitution for the words 'you are cleared into class B.' this only adds confusion and hesitation. I think the high workload at the time was the contributing factor to this situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PIPER PA28 QUESTIONED THE LEGALITY OF HIS CLRNC INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE DUE TO THE CTLR ONLY ISSUING VECTORS INTO THE AIRSPACE AND NOT INCLUDING THE PHRASE 'CLRED.'

Narrative: ON A BUSY FRIDAY AFTERNOON, I TOOK OFF FROM FME (TIPTON AIRFIELD) IN FORT MEADE, MD. AFTER LISTENING TO THE BWI ATIS, I CONTACTED BWI APCH CTL ON 119.7. I GAVE THEM MY LOCATION (OVER FT MEADE), MY ALT (1300 FT MSL), AND MY INTENTIONS (INBOUND TO BALTIMORE). THE APCH CTLR TOLD ME TO EXPECT RWY 33R. AFTER CIRCLING TIPTON FOR ABOUT 10 OR MORE MINS, I CONTACTED BWI APCH AGAIN TO BE SURE THEY HADN'T FORGOTTEN ME. I WAS WAITING FOR MY CLRNC INTO CLASS B AND A VECTOR FOR SEQUENCE IN TO RWY 33R. THE CLASS B FLOOR ABOVE TIPTON IS 1500 FT MSL. THE APCH CTLR INQUIRED ABOUT MY SQUAWK EVEN THOUGH I WAS NEVER GIVEN THIS OVER THE FREQ. OTHER VFR TFC HAD BEEN ASSIGNED BEACON CODES AFTER ME AS IF THE CTLR RESERVED A CODE BUT DID NOT RELAY IT TO ME. THEN HE PROCEEDED TO DIRECT ME TO FLY A HDG OF 100 DEGS AND CLB AND MAINTAIN 2000 FT. I WASN'T GIVEN CLRNC INTO CLASS B. I INQUIRED ABOUT THIS AND THE CTLR RESPONDED WITH THE TERM 'VECTORS INTO CLASS B.' I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT A VECTOR INTO CLASS B IS AN ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTION FOR THE WORDS 'YOU ARE CLRED INTO CLASS B.' THIS ONLY ADDS CONFUSION AND HESITATION. I THINK THE HIGH WORKLOAD AT THE TIME WAS THE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THIS SIT.

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.