Narrative:

Sbound over interstate X on traffic watch (news gathering) 7 mi outside ZZZ. Requested 'special VFR for 'east to north.' 'east to north' is a pre-approved route, along interstate X eastbound, then turning northbound of highway interchange, then north along interstate Y northbound out of class C. At the time of request, we could see downtown skyline, but hazy. ATIS was reporting visibility 2 mi, ceiling 2300 ft overcast. We squawked our code XXXX for 'flight Y' and got approval for our special. We proceeded eastbound, encountering lowering visibility due to fog about 1 mi northwest of airport. I requested to turn back wbound, as further flight east or north would put us in deteriorating visibility due to fog. Controller denied request back wbound. I asked again saying 'I really, really would like to go wbound.' he denied me saying, 'I can't let you do that. I have an approach inbound. I need you to continue northbound.' I started north, but ran into fog, so pulled into a hover to wait until he could clear me back west. About a min later he asked if I was flying wbound. I said 'no, I am hovering here.' he said 'I can't let you stay there, either. You need to go north.' so I edged north and west to clear the area of fog. About a half mi further and I was back into better visibility. I announced I was northbound. Controller told me to squawk 1200 services terminated. I was still in his class C with about 1 mi to go to clear. We continued news and traffic reporting for another 20 mins before ending flight in uncontrolled airspace. I know I should have said 'unable to maintain VFR northbound,' but feared repercussions from ZZZ ATC. I had gotten chewed out over frequency for being west of the field and I was 7 mi out in uncontrolled airspace! 3 months ago! By this guy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI ON SVFR CLRNC ENCOUNTERS WX AND HOVERS CAUSING CONCERN AND QUESTION FROM ATC.

Narrative: SBOUND OVER INTERSTATE X ON TFC WATCH (NEWS GATHERING) 7 MI OUTSIDE ZZZ. REQUESTED 'SPECIAL VFR FOR 'E TO N.' 'E TO N' IS A PRE-APPROVED RTE, ALONG INTERSTATE X EBOUND, THEN TURNING NBOUND OF HWY INTERCHANGE, THEN N ALONG INTERSTATE Y NBOUND OUT OF CLASS C. AT THE TIME OF REQUEST, WE COULD SEE DOWNTOWN SKYLINE, BUT HAZY. ATIS WAS RPTING VISIBILITY 2 MI, CEILING 2300 FT OVCST. WE SQUAWKED OUR CODE XXXX FOR 'FLT Y' AND GOT APPROVAL FOR OUR SPECIAL. WE PROCEEDED EBOUND, ENCOUNTERING LOWERING VISIBILITY DUE TO FOG ABOUT 1 MI NW OF ARPT. I REQUESTED TO TURN BACK WBOUND, AS FURTHER FLT E OR N WOULD PUT US IN DETERIORATING VISIBILITY DUE TO FOG. CTLR DENIED REQUEST BACK WBOUND. I ASKED AGAIN SAYING 'I REALLY, REALLY WOULD LIKE TO GO WBOUND.' HE DENIED ME SAYING, 'I CAN'T LET YOU DO THAT. I HAVE AN APCH INBOUND. I NEED YOU TO CONTINUE NBOUND.' I STARTED N, BUT RAN INTO FOG, SO PULLED INTO A HOVER TO WAIT UNTIL HE COULD CLR ME BACK W. ABOUT A MIN LATER HE ASKED IF I WAS FLYING WBOUND. I SAID 'NO, I AM HOVERING HERE.' HE SAID 'I CAN'T LET YOU STAY THERE, EITHER. YOU NEED TO GO N.' SO I EDGED N AND W TO CLR THE AREA OF FOG. ABOUT A HALF MI FURTHER AND I WAS BACK INTO BETTER VISIBILITY. I ANNOUNCED I WAS NBOUND. CTLR TOLD ME TO SQUAWK 1200 SVCS TERMINATED. I WAS STILL IN HIS CLASS C WITH ABOUT 1 MI TO GO TO CLR. WE CONTINUED NEWS AND TFC RPTING FOR ANOTHER 20 MINS BEFORE ENDING FLT IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE. I KNOW I SHOULD HAVE SAID 'UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR NBOUND,' BUT FEARED REPERCUSSIONS FROM ZZZ ATC. I HAD GOTTEN CHEWED OUT OVER FREQ FOR BEING W OF THE FIELD AND I WAS 7 MI OUT IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE! 3 MONTHS AGO! BY THIS GUY.

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.