PA32 pilot entered atl class B without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	543231
Time
Date	200204
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	543231
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited penetrated airspace none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This incident occurred almost immediately after takeoff from fulton county brown airport about 10 NM north, northwest of atlanta international airport. I was cleared for takeoff on runway 08 and told the tower I would be requesting VFR flight following. After takeoff I was told to proceed 'on course' and contact atlanta approach. I may even have been told to remain clear of bravo airspace. I turned to a heading of 180 degrees which was my 'on course' heading and contacted approach. I was told that I was 4 miles into the bravo airspace and given a heading to the northwest and vectors out of the airspace. The confusion on my part that led to the incursion was due in part of 35 yrs of flying almost all of which was IFR on the last forty odd yrs. The call that cleared me (in my mind) 'on course' was one I heard thousands of times and I responded instinctively to it as I always did when IFR by turning on course. I also didn't fully appreciate the fact that I was not under positive control when the tower gave me the frequency change. As it stands today, a flight such as mine must first depart, then change frequency, then wait for an opening to contact a busy airport's controller in order to ask for a clearance through an airspace that is controled such as B airspace. It seems to me that all of this could be coordinated through ground control before the takeoff occurs and tower could issue a heading for departure and the changeover infrequency would then take place with the approach controller aware that you will be calling, much as a IFR departure takes place today. Even with all my experience with first the USA air force and then flying for major carrier, I was not prepared for the confusion I experienced on my VFR flight. Prior to this flight I had virtually no experience in VFR flight near a major airport. However, I checked with a local pilot about departures and was told they would give me headings etc so I thought they would be exerting more control then was the case. I have since this flight learned a valuable lesson, but would still suggest the system could be reviewed and changed to prevent a similar occurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32 PLT ENTERED ATL CLASS B WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM FULTON COUNTY BROWN ARPT ABOUT 10 NM N, NW OF ATLANTA INTL ARPT. I WAS CLRED FOR TAKEOFF ON RWY 08 AND TOLD THE TWR I WOULD BE REQUESTING VFR FLT FOLLOWING. AFTER TKOF I WAS TOLD TO PROCEED 'ON COURSE' AND CONTACT ATLANTA APCH. I MAY EVEN HAVE BEEN TOLD TO REMAIN CLR OF BRAVO AIRSPACE. I TURNED TO A HEADING OF 180 DEGS WHICH WAS MY 'ON COURSE' HEADING AND CONTACTED APCH. I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS 4 MILES INTO THE BRAVO AIRSPACE AND GIVEN A HEADING TO THE NW AND VECTORS OUT OF THE AIRSPACE. THE CONFUSION ON MY PART THAT LED TO THE INCURSION WAS DUE IN PART OF 35 YRS OF FLYING ALMOST ALL OF WHICH WAS IFR ON THE LAST FORTY ODD YRS. THE CALL THAT CLRED ME (IN MY MIND) 'ON COURSE' WAS ONE I HEARD THOUSANDS OF TIMES AND I RESPONDED INSTINCTIVELY TO IT AS I ALWAYS DID WHEN IFR BY TURNING ON COURSE. I ALSO DIDN'T FULLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT I WAS NOT UNDER POSITIVE CTL WHEN THE TWR GAVE ME THE FREQUENCY CHANGE. AS IT STANDS TODAY, A FLT SUCH AS MINE MUST FIRST DEPART, THEN CHANGE FREQUENCY, THEN WAIT FOR AN OPENING TO CONTACT A BUSY ARPT'S CTLR IN ORDER TO ASK FOR A CLRNC THROUGH AN AIRSPACE THAT IS CTLED SUCH AS B AIRSPACE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT ALL OF THIS COULD BE COORDINATED THROUGH GND CTL BEFORE THE TAKEOFF OCCURS AND TWR COULD ISSUE A HEADING FOR DEP AND THE CHANGEOVER INFREQUENCY WOULD THEN TAKE PLACE WITH THE APCH CTLR AWARE THAT YOU WILL BE CALLING, MUCH AS A IFR DEP TAKES PLACE TODAY. EVEN WITH ALL MY EXPERIENCE WITH FIRST THE USA AIR FORCE AND THEN FLYING FOR MAJOR CARRIER, I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THE CONFUSION I EXPERIENCED ON MY VFR FLT. PRIOR TO THIS FLT I HAD VIRTUALLY NO EXPERIENCE IN VFR FLT NEAR A MAJOR ARPT. HOWEVER, I CHKED WITH A LCL PLT ABOUT DEPS AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD GIVE ME HEADINGS ETC SO I THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE EXERTING MORE CTL THEN WAS THE CASE. I HAVE SINCE THIS FLT LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON, BUT WOULD STILL SUGGEST THE SYSTEM COULD BE REVIEWED AND CHANGED TO PREVENT A SIMILAR OCCURRENCE.

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.