Narrative:

I was on a VFR flight from lvk to hhr, with flight following provided by ATC. When I was handed off from ZOA to sct approach, the controller asked what route I would like to hawthorne. After looking at the la VFR terminal area chart and seeing the VFR transition route west of lax, I requested that route. I specifically asked for the route west of lax. The controller responded with what I thought was approval to fly the route. When I was about 1 mi offshore of marina del rey, the controller told me to squawk 1200, frequency change approved (I was descending out of 4500 ft at the time). This seemed strange, as I was about to cross the departure end of lax, and I thought I needed to remain in contact with ATC to do that. I assumed that there must be a lull in traffic at lax that allowed him to drop contact with me. I completed the VFR transition route, turned east at the refinery, and called hawthorne tower. After landing at hawthorne, I was instructed to call sct approach and ask for the supervisor. In my conversation with the supervisor, it became evident that sct approach thought I was going to fly the sct special flight rules route over lax, not the shoreline route west of lax. Evidently, there had been a misunderstanding or miscommunication between myself and the la approach controller that I had initially contacted. The supervisor explained that the route over lax was greatly preferred, since it had no effect on traffic into/out of lax. I expressed my amazement to the supervisor that the controller would cease contact with me when I was offshore of marina del rey. If he was expecting me to fly the special flight rules route over lax, I was nowhere near that route, as his radar would show. Lesson learned: the VFR terminal area chart doesn't even show the preferred special flight rules route, except in the margin. This is just asking for trouble! At a minimum, that route should be shown clearly on the chart. I also suggest that the shoreline route not be shown, as ATC really doesn't want people to fly that route at all.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C310 ENRTE TO HHR WAS CONFUSED WITH RTEING W OF LAX ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR FLT FROM LVK TO HHR, WITH FLT FOLLOWING PROVIDED BY ATC. WHEN I WAS HANDED OFF FROM ZOA TO SCT APCH, THE CTLR ASKED WHAT RTE I WOULD LIKE TO HAWTHORNE. AFTER LOOKING AT THE LA VFR TERMINAL AREA CHART AND SEEING THE VFR TRANSITION RTE W OF LAX, I REQUESTED THAT RTE. I SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR THE RTE W OF LAX. THE CTLR RESPONDED WITH WHAT I THOUGHT WAS APPROVAL TO FLY THE RTE. WHEN I WAS ABOUT 1 MI OFFSHORE OF MARINA DEL REY, THE CTLR TOLD ME TO SQUAWK 1200, FREQ CHANGE APPROVED (I WAS DSNDING OUT OF 4500 FT AT THE TIME). THIS SEEMED STRANGE, AS I WAS ABOUT TO CROSS THE DEP END OF LAX, AND I THOUGHT I NEEDED TO REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH ATC TO DO THAT. I ASSUMED THAT THERE MUST BE A LULL IN TFC AT LAX THAT ALLOWED HIM TO DROP CONTACT WITH ME. I COMPLETED THE VFR TRANSITION RTE, TURNED E AT THE REFINERY, AND CALLED HAWTHORNE TWR. AFTER LNDG AT HAWTHORNE, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL SCT APCH AND ASK FOR THE SUPVR. IN MY CONVERSATION WITH THE SUPVR, IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT SCT APCH THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO FLY THE SCT SPECIAL FLT RULES RTE OVER LAX, NOT THE SHORELINE RTE W OF LAX. EVIDENTLY, THERE HAD BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING OR MISCOMMUNICATION BTWN MYSELF AND THE LA APCH CTLR THAT I HAD INITIALLY CONTACTED. THE SUPVR EXPLAINED THAT THE RTE OVER LAX WAS GREATLY PREFERRED, SINCE IT HAD NO EFFECT ON TFC INTO/OUT OF LAX. I EXPRESSED MY AMAZEMENT TO THE SUPVR THAT THE CTLR WOULD CEASE CONTACT WITH ME WHEN I WAS OFFSHORE OF MARINA DEL REY. IF HE WAS EXPECTING ME TO FLY THE SPECIAL FLT RULES RTE OVER LAX, I WAS NOWHERE NEAR THAT RTE, AS HIS RADAR WOULD SHOW. LESSON LEARNED: THE VFR TERMINAL AREA CHART DOESN'T EVEN SHOW THE PREFERRED SPECIAL FLT RULES RTE, EXCEPT IN THE MARGIN. THIS IS JUST ASKING FOR TROUBLE! AT A MINIMUM, THAT RTE SHOULD BE SHOWN CLRLY ON THE CHART. I ALSO SUGGEST THAT THE SHORELINE RTE NOT BE SHOWN, AS ATC REALLY DOESN'T WANT PEOPLE TO FLY THAT RTE AT ALL.

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.