Narrative:

On the morning of sep/fri/03, I contacted raleigh flight service and obtained a standard briefing for the flight. FSS noted that the route of flight to LOM would take me through the washington ADIZ. I told the FSS person it was my understanding that I would need to file a VFR flight plan. I had previously studied the recommended procedures on pilots organization website. I pre-flted the airplane and called raleigh FSS back and filed a VFR flight plan. After takeoff, I contacted greensboro approach and asked for flight following. Subsequently, I was handed off to several control facilities before reaching potomac approach. Once with potomac approach, I explained that I had never transitioned the ADIZ before. I asked the controller if he had a record of my VFR flight plan. The controller said he had 'our flight plan,' and that I was in contact with him and everything was ok. I was handed off to several controllers before finally reaching the philadelphia approach. The whole trip, I was navigating by GPS. The landing at LOM was uneventful. At around XA30Z, I prepared for the return flight. I called williamsport FSS. I told the FSS person I would like to file a VFR flight plan with an assumed departure of X000Z to 8a7. The FSS person noticed the route of flight would transition the washington ADIZ. He stated I would need an 'ADIZ flight plan.' I agreed to file both a VFR flight plan and an ADIZ flight plan. This was the first time I had ever heard of an ADIZ flight plan, even after researching the ADIZ. I took off, I contacted philadelphia approach. I was immediately told to 'remain clear of class B and remain VFR.' I contacted philadelphia approach and was rebuffed again. This went on for several mins. By now I was further south and tried to contact potomac approach. Same response 'remain clear of class B and remain VFR.' the controllers would not acknowledge my flight to get the discreet code to transition the ADIZ. At this point, I abandoned the original flight plan and turned to the west. I realized that I would now need to amend my flight plan. I contacted leesburg flight service and explained what was happening. The FSS person was very concerned that I not violate the camp david prohibited area. I convinced the FSS person that I saw the camp david area on my GPS and was nowhere near it. I told FSS that I would hold at westminster VOR. FSS could not find my original ADIZ flight plan. The FSS person proceeded to file a second ADIZ flight plan. FSS informed me that the new ADIZ flight plan was entered and received by potomac approach, and that I should contact potomac approach. I explained to the FSS person how I had continually been rebuffed. The FSS person assured me that potomac had my ADIZ and to come back to FSS if I had any problem. I attempted to contact potomac approach and was told that they did not have my ADIZ. I went back to FSS. FSS assured me again that potomac had the ADIZ. I went back to potomac, was told that they did not have the ADIZ. I went back to FSS, and he said to try it again. This went on several more times. The whole time, I am holding at westminster VOR. At this point, the FSS person was very upset with potomac approach. FSS stated that he would 'call over there and get it straightened out.' I called potomac approach, and they finally acknowledged the ADIZ flight plan. I was told to proceed toward leesburg, but not enter class B, that I would be handed off and then cleared through class B. I stayed on this course for a while. I asked about my class B clearance. The controller stated that I was cleared into class B and handed off to the next controller. As soon as the handoff occurred, I was vectored to the west. In my flight path were mountains approaching. I asked if I could begin a turn to the south. I was very tersely told to turn direct to casanova VOR and 'remain clear of class B.' I explained that earlier I was cleared into class B airspace. The controller replied remain clear of class B and remain VFR. I asked the controller what it would take to remain completely clear of his space. I was told to fly direct to casanova and I would be clear. I stated I would like to cancel everything with him. There was no response from the controller. I squawked VFR and continued toward casanova. I called leesburg FSS back and asked for a way to contact the controller's superiors. I called potomac approach to make sure the flight plan was closed. I received the same welcome 'remain clear of class B and remain VFR.' I stated that I wanted to make sure my ADIZ flight plan was cancelled. I was very tersely told it was cancelled. I continued my flight uneventfully to 8a7. Upon landing, a fellow at the airport brought a piece of paper with greensboro phone number and said I should contact them. Greensboro stated that they were asked by washington approach to track my flight. I called washington and the person said he would pass along my phone number. After not receiving a phone call, I called washington back and was given potomac approach's phone number. I explained all that went on. She called back, said there was an ADIZ violation and that I would hear from FSDO in about a month. On my trip north, the controllers were very helpful. I was not even vectored. I researched the ADIZ before my flight. I followed the recommended procedures. I tried to follow the system. The controling facility is unhelpful to the point of effectively shutting down the system put into place to transition their area. From anecdotal experiences, I understand that the controllers have been unhelpful to the point of creating safety problems. If the system is in place, it should be accessible.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLTS DETAILED 'RUN AROUND' IN OBTAINING AN ADIZ CLRNC, TERMINATING FLT FOLLOWING IN THE ADIZ AND SUBSEQUENT NOTIFICATION OF A PROCESSED VIOLATION.

Narrative: ON THE MORNING OF SEP/FRI/03, I CONTACTED RALEIGH FLT SVC AND OBTAINED A STANDARD BRIEFING FOR THE FLT. FSS NOTED THAT THE RTE OF FLT TO LOM WOULD TAKE ME THROUGH THE WASHINGTON ADIZ. I TOLD THE FSS PERSON IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT I WOULD NEED TO FILE A VFR FLT PLAN. I HAD PREVIOUSLY STUDIED THE RECOMMENDED PROCS ON PILOTS ORGANIZATION WEBSITE. I PRE-FLTED THE AIRPLANE AND CALLED RALEIGH FSS BACK AND FILED A VFR FLT PLAN. AFTER TKOF, I CONTACTED GREENSBORO APCH AND ASKED FOR FLT FOLLOWING. SUBSEQUENTLY, I WAS HANDED OFF TO SEVERAL CTL FACILITIES BEFORE REACHING POTOMAC APCH. ONCE WITH POTOMAC APCH, I EXPLAINED THAT I HAD NEVER TRANSITIONED THE ADIZ BEFORE. I ASKED THE CTLR IF HE HAD A RECORD OF MY VFR FLT PLAN. THE CTLR SAID HE HAD 'OUR FLT PLAN,' AND THAT I WAS IN CONTACT WITH HIM AND EVERYTHING WAS OK. I WAS HANDED OFF TO SEVERAL CTLRS BEFORE FINALLY REACHING THE PHILADELPHIA APCH. THE WHOLE TRIP, I WAS NAVING BY GPS. THE LNDG AT LOM WAS UNEVENTFUL. AT AROUND XA30Z, I PREPARED FOR THE RETURN FLT. I CALLED WILLIAMSPORT FSS. I TOLD THE FSS PERSON I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A VFR FLT PLAN WITH AN ASSUMED DEP OF X000Z TO 8A7. THE FSS PERSON NOTICED THE RTE OF FLT WOULD TRANSITION THE WASHINGTON ADIZ. HE STATED I WOULD NEED AN 'ADIZ FLT PLAN.' I AGREED TO FILE BOTH A VFR FLT PLAN AND AN ADIZ FLT PLAN. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVER HEARD OF AN ADIZ FLT PLAN, EVEN AFTER RESEARCHING THE ADIZ. I TOOK OFF, I CONTACTED PHILADELPHIA APCH. I WAS IMMEDIATELY TOLD TO 'REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B AND REMAIN VFR.' I CONTACTED PHILADELPHIA APCH AND WAS REBUFFED AGAIN. THIS WENT ON FOR SEVERAL MINS. BY NOW I WAS FURTHER S AND TRIED TO CONTACT POTOMAC APCH. SAME RESPONSE 'REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B AND REMAIN VFR.' THE CTLRS WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE MY FLT TO GET THE DISCREET CODE TO TRANSITION THE ADIZ. AT THIS POINT, I ABANDONED THE ORIGINAL FLT PLAN AND TURNED TO THE WEST. I REALIZED THAT I WOULD NOW NEED TO AMEND MY FLT PLAN. I CONTACTED LEESBURG FLT SVC AND EXPLAINED WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THE FSS PERSON WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT I NOT VIOLATE THE CAMP DAVID PROHIBITED AREA. I CONVINCED THE FSS PERSON THAT I SAW THE CAMP DAVID AREA ON MY GPS AND WAS NOWHERE NEAR IT. I TOLD FSS THAT I WOULD HOLD AT WESTMINSTER VOR. FSS COULD NOT FIND MY ORIGINAL ADIZ FLT PLAN. THE FSS PERSON PROCEEDED TO FILE A SECOND ADIZ FLT PLAN. FSS INFORMED ME THAT THE NEW ADIZ FLT PLAN WAS ENTERED AND RECEIVED BY POTOMAC APCH, AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT POTOMAC APCH. I EXPLAINED TO THE FSS PERSON HOW I HAD CONTINUALLY BEEN REBUFFED. THE FSS PERSON ASSURED ME THAT POTOMAC HAD MY ADIZ AND TO COME BACK TO FSS IF I HAD ANY PROB. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT POTOMAC APCH AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE MY ADIZ. I WENT BACK TO FSS. FSS ASSURED ME AGAIN THAT POTOMAC HAD THE ADIZ. I WENT BACK TO POTOMAC, WAS TOLD THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE ADIZ. I WENT BACK TO FSS, AND HE SAID TO TRY IT AGAIN. THIS WENT ON SEVERAL MORE TIMES. THE WHOLE TIME, I AM HOLDING AT WESTMINSTER VOR. AT THIS POINT, THE FSS PERSON WAS VERY UPSET WITH POTOMAC APCH. FSS STATED THAT HE WOULD 'CALL OVER THERE AND GET IT STRAIGHTENED OUT.' I CALLED POTOMAC APCH, AND THEY FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THE ADIZ FLT PLAN. I WAS TOLD TO PROCEED TOWARD LEESBURG, BUT NOT ENTER CLASS B, THAT I WOULD BE HANDED OFF AND THEN CLRED THROUGH CLASS B. I STAYED ON THIS COURSE FOR A WHILE. I ASKED ABOUT MY CLASS B CLRNC. THE CTLR STATED THAT I WAS CLRED INTO CLASS B AND HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR. AS SOON AS THE HDOF OCCURRED, I WAS VECTORED TO THE W. IN MY FLT PATH WERE MOUNTAINS APCHING. I ASKED IF I COULD BEGIN A TURN TO THE S. I WAS VERY TERSELY TOLD TO TURN DIRECT TO CASANOVA VOR AND 'REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B.' I EXPLAINED THAT EARLIER I WAS CLRED INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE. THE CTLR REPLIED REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B AND REMAIN VFR. I ASKED THE CTLR WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO REMAIN COMPLETELY CLR OF HIS SPACE. I WAS TOLD TO FLY DIRECT TO CASANOVA AND I WOULD BE CLR. I STATED I WOULD LIKE TO CANCEL EVERYTHING WITH HIM. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE CTLR. I SQUAWKED VFR AND CONTINUED TOWARD CASANOVA. I CALLED LEESBURG FSS BACK AND ASKED FOR A WAY TO CONTACT THE CTLR'S SUPERIORS. I CALLED POTOMAC APCH TO MAKE SURE THE FLT PLAN WAS CLOSED. I RECEIVED THE SAME WELCOME 'REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B AND REMAIN VFR.' I STATED THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE MY ADIZ FLT PLAN WAS CANCELLED. I WAS VERY TERSELY TOLD IT WAS CANCELLED. I CONTINUED MY FLT UNEVENTFULLY TO 8A7. UPON LNDG, A FELLOW AT THE ARPT BROUGHT A PIECE OF PAPER WITH GREENSBORO PHONE NUMBER AND SAID I SHOULD CONTACT THEM. GREENSBORO STATED THAT THEY WERE ASKED BY WASHINGTON APCH TO TRACK MY FLT. I CALLED WASHINGTON AND THE PERSON SAID HE WOULD PASS ALONG MY PHONE NUMBER. AFTER NOT RECEIVING A PHONE CALL, I CALLED WASHINGTON BACK AND WAS GIVEN POTOMAC APCH'S PHONE NUMBER. I EXPLAINED ALL THAT WENT ON. SHE CALLED BACK, SAID THERE WAS AN ADIZ VIOLATION AND THAT I WOULD HEAR FROM FSDO IN ABOUT A MONTH. ON MY TRIP N, THE CTLRS WERE VERY HELPFUL. I WAS NOT EVEN VECTORED. I RESEARCHED THE ADIZ BEFORE MY FLT. I FOLLOWED THE RECOMMENDED PROCS. I TRIED TO FOLLOW THE SYS. THE CTLING FACILITY IS UNHELPFUL TO THE POINT OF EFFECTIVELY SHUTTING DOWN THE SYS PUT INTO PLACE TO TRANSITION THEIR AREA. FROM ANECDOTAL EXPERIENCES, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CTLRS HAVE BEEN UNHELPFUL TO THE POINT OF CREATING SAFETY PROBS. IF THE SYS IS IN PLACE, IT SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE.

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.