Narrative:

On my first flight into wichita, ks, I wished to land at cessna field, then go to the international airport. I was under VFR flight following with ict approach. I said it was my first time in the area, so asked for vectors to the cessna field. ATC said to do an 'east approach,' not to go south of the field, but to land to the north. As I was heading southwest, looking for the field, I then realized I could not comply with these requests. So I turned north, overflew the field I asked to and landed to the south. There was a 90 degree crosswind. Departing cessna field to the north after a short stop, I asked for ict approach to give me vectors to wichita international and was instructed to fly north, but that I could not be vectored to my destination. I was turned, switched to the tower frequency, then told I was 'clear to land.' I did not have the airport in sight at that time. I knew the bearing between the airfields, so started back to cessna field, planning to go to international from there. I was told the international airport was at 240 degrees, so turned to that heading, located the airport, and did an s-turn on approach as instructed in order to land behind other traffic I was overtaking. I found the wichita area very difficult to do exact pilotage with the many airfields in close proximity, and would have appreciated the vectoring I requested. I was asked to telephone the supervisor, ict approach after landing, and did so. From this conversation, I felt that ATC considered my flight path unusual, and I too wish I could have done it more smoothly. But the communications between the controller and me were not as clear as I would have wished.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CESSNA PLT WANDERS AROUND ICT AREA LOOKING FOR CEA AND ICT ARPTS, MOST LIKELY ENTERING IAB AFB AREA.

Narrative: ON MY FIRST FLT INTO WICHITA, KS, I WISHED TO LAND AT CESSNA FIELD, THEN GO TO THE INTL ARPT. I WAS UNDER VFR FLT FOLLOWING WITH ICT APCH. I SAID IT WAS MY FIRST TIME IN THE AREA, SO ASKED FOR VECTORS TO THE CESSNA FIELD. ATC SAID TO DO AN 'E APCH,' NOT TO GO S OF THE FIELD, BUT TO LAND TO THE N. AS I WAS HDG SW, LOOKING FOR THE FIELD, I THEN REALIZED I COULD NOT COMPLY WITH THESE REQUESTS. SO I TURNED N, OVERFLEW THE FIELD I ASKED TO AND LANDED TO THE S. THERE WAS A 90 DEG XWIND. DEPARTING CESSNA FIELD TO THE N AFTER A SHORT STOP, I ASKED FOR ICT APCH TO GIVE ME VECTORS TO WICHITA INTL AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO FLY N, BUT THAT I COULD NOT BE VECTORED TO MY DEST. I WAS TURNED, SWITCHED TO THE TWR FREQ, THEN TOLD I WAS 'CLR TO LAND.' I DID NOT HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT AT THAT TIME. I KNEW THE BEARING BTWN THE AIRFIELDS, SO STARTED BACK TO CESSNA FIELD, PLANNING TO GO TO INTL FROM THERE. I WAS TOLD THE INTL ARPT WAS AT 240 DEGS, SO TURNED TO THAT HDG, LOCATED THE ARPT, AND DID AN S-TURN ON APCH AS INSTRUCTED IN ORDER TO LAND BEHIND OTHER TFC I WAS OVERTAKING. I FOUND THE WICHITA AREA VERY DIFFICULT TO DO EXACT PILOTAGE WITH THE MANY AIRFIELDS IN CLOSE PROX, AND WOULD HAVE APPRECIATED THE VECTORING I REQUESTED. I WAS ASKED TO TELEPHONE THE SUPVR, ICT APCH AFTER LNDG, AND DID SO. FROM THIS CONVERSATION, I FELT THAT ATC CONSIDERED MY FLT PATH UNUSUAL, AND I TOO WISH I COULD HAVE DONE IT MORE SMOOTHLY. BUT THE COMS BTWN THE CTLR AND ME WERE NOT AS CLR AS I WOULD HAVE WISHED.

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.