MO20 pilot concerned with recent class C airspace change from srq to tpa.

Attributes
ACN	505876
Time
Date	200103
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : srq.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 B/C Ranger
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	controller military : 14 controller non radar : 6 controller radar : 24 flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 5900 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	505876
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Weather
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : tpa.tracon
Airspace Structure	class c : srq.c

Narrative:

On mar/xa/01, the FAA started a new control procedure at srq. Till then, tower controled class C airspace surface to 4000 ft and 5 mi around srq. After mar/xa/01 we were handed over to tpa approach control on 119.65 MHZ. Safety has eroded by 50% by this change (in my opinion). Tpa approach was not prepared for this new task and GA planes are being given IFR type vectors and delays, even if GA planes are VFR with low time pilots. On earlier flight in mooney, tampa ATC gave me a heading and forgot about me while heading took me toward a 1750 ft tower 15 NM east of srq. On return to srq after our mission, we were given extensive delays, even though we were VFR to srq. There were no public hearings for this major ATC change which is a 'knee-jerk' reaction to F-16/C172 midair near srq recently. This will hurt GA operation and is causing many near midair collision's and poor runway use at srq since tpa approach is not ready or capable to handle it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MO20 PLT CONCERNED WITH RECENT CLASS C AIRSPACE CHANGE FROM SRQ TO TPA.

Narrative: ON MAR/XA/01, THE FAA STARTED A NEW CTL PROC AT SRQ. TILL THEN, TWR CTLED CLASS C AIRSPACE SURFACE TO 4000 FT AND 5 MI AROUND SRQ. AFTER MAR/XA/01 WE WERE HANDED OVER TO TPA APCH CTL ON 119.65 MHZ. SAFETY HAS ERODED BY 50% BY THIS CHANGE (IN MY OPINION). TPA APCH WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS NEW TASK AND GA PLANES ARE BEING GIVEN IFR TYPE VECTORS AND DELAYS, EVEN IF GA PLANES ARE VFR WITH LOW TIME PLTS. ON EARLIER FLT IN MOONEY, TAMPA ATC GAVE ME A HDG AND FORGOT ABOUT ME WHILE HDG TOOK ME TOWARD A 1750 FT TOWER 15 NM E OF SRQ. ON RETURN TO SRQ AFTER OUR MISSION, WE WERE GIVEN EXTENSIVE DELAYS, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE VFR TO SRQ. THERE WERE NO PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THIS MAJOR ATC CHANGE WHICH IS A 'KNEE-JERK' REACTION TO F-16/C172 MIDAIR NEAR SRQ RECENTLY. THIS WILL HURT GA OP AND IS CAUSING MANY NMAC'S AND POOR RWY USE AT SRQ SINCE TPA APCH IS NOT READY OR CAPABLE TO HANDLE IT.

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.