Narrative:

Called cdw tower 10 east landing with ATIS information. Instructed by tower to report 4 mi straight-in for runway 27. Prior to reaching that point, heard numerous aircraft call the tower without a reply. As I got closer to the airport and reported a 4 mi final, tower advised me that I would be #2 for landing following another aircraft that was circling from a localizer 22. Replied that I did not have the traffic and inside of a 4 mi final (obviously descending to land). The tower asked me what was my altitude -- (I was 1150 ft MSL) and I replied 1100 ft (since I was descending). Tower replied that the pattern is 1200 ft (no kidding -- I happen to be on a descent to land ) -- and I have VNAV on my GPS as well, but it wasn't worth explaining to someone who would not understand it. Additionally, I descended in order to miss the traffic that had departed cdw pattern in the downwind eastbound (I listen so I was looking) of course, the tower did not bother to advise me of that (typical of this tower. That is why there was a midair in the pattern this yr resulting in fatalities). I was not in the mood to have a verbal argument with this controller, so I simply continued, landed, parked the plane. He is one of at least 2 'smart-mouth' controllers at this airport. Having lived in this area all my life, I am used to the 'new york attitude,' but it has no place in aviation. Interesting, the controller felt 'obligated' to make some sort of mention about altitude to me (and I was 100% correct in my actions and altitude) while not saying a thing about airplanes making initial call-ups inside the class D airspace. I was hoping that after that unfortunate mid-air, the tower would wake up, but obviously, that awareness on their part has subsided.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON STRAIGHT-IN APCH TO CDW RWY 27, PA28 PLT QUESTIONS LCL CTLR'S AWARENESS AND CTL SKILLS AS HE DSNDS TO REMAIN CLR OF DOWNWIND DEPARTING TFC.

Narrative: CALLED CDW TWR 10 E LNDG WITH ATIS INFO. INSTRUCTED BY TWR TO RPT 4 MI STRAIGHT-IN FOR RWY 27. PRIOR TO REACHING THAT POINT, HEARD NUMEROUS ACFT CALL THE TWR WITHOUT A REPLY. AS I GOT CLOSER TO THE ARPT AND RPTED A 4 MI FINAL, TWR ADVISED ME THAT I WOULD BE #2 FOR LNDG FOLLOWING ANOTHER ACFT THAT WAS CIRCLING FROM A LOC 22. REPLIED THAT I DID NOT HAVE THE TFC AND INSIDE OF A 4 MI FINAL (OBVIOUSLY DSNDING TO LAND). THE TWR ASKED ME WHAT WAS MY ALT -- (I WAS 1150 FT MSL) AND I REPLIED 1100 FT (SINCE I WAS DSNDING). TWR REPLIED THAT THE PATTERN IS 1200 FT (NO KIDDING -- I HAPPEN TO BE ON A DSCNT TO LAND ) -- AND I HAVE VNAV ON MY GPS AS WELL, BUT IT WASN'T WORTH EXPLAINING TO SOMEONE WHO WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND IT. ADDITIONALLY, I DSNDED IN ORDER TO MISS THE TFC THAT HAD DEPARTED CDW PATTERN IN THE DOWNWIND EBOUND (I LISTEN SO I WAS LOOKING) OF COURSE, THE TWR DID NOT BOTHER TO ADVISE ME OF THAT (TYPICAL OF THIS TWR. THAT IS WHY THERE WAS A MIDAIR IN THE PATTERN THIS YR RESULTING IN FATALITIES). I WAS NOT IN THE MOOD TO HAVE A VERBAL ARGUMENT WITH THIS CTLR, SO I SIMPLY CONTINUED, LANDED, PARKED THE PLANE. HE IS ONE OF AT LEAST 2 'SMART-MOUTH' CTLRS AT THIS ARPT. HAVING LIVED IN THIS AREA ALL MY LIFE, I AM USED TO THE 'NEW YORK ATTITUDE,' BUT IT HAS NO PLACE IN AVIATION. INTERESTING, THE CTLR FELT 'OBLIGATED' TO MAKE SOME SORT OF MENTION ABOUT ALT TO ME (AND I WAS 100% CORRECT IN MY ACTIONS AND ALT) WHILE NOT SAYING A THING ABOUT AIRPLANES MAKING INITIAL CALL-UPS INSIDE THE CLASS D AIRSPACE. I WAS HOPING THAT AFTER THAT UNFORTUNATE MID-AIR, THE TWR WOULD WAKE UP, BUT OBVIOUSLY, THAT AWARENESS ON THEIR PART HAS SUBSIDED.

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.