Narrative:

We departed and requested VFR radar flight following from mia tower. (7 airports with control towers are in a row from miami to north of fort lauderdale. Flight following from the approach control makes the transitions through the airspaces easier and safer.) the tower handed us off to approach control at our request. The approach controller acknowledged us and then when we were nearly overhead, opa locka airport. Told us to contact opa locka tower for transition. When we returned to the approach controller, he wanted us to transition next through fll airspace at an altitude that we could not accept VFR. So he again sent us to the tower controller for transition. The tower handled us as we continued northbound. We expected to be handed back to the approach controller, but he canceled our radar coverage and told us to contact fort lauderdale executive tower for transition after we were already in the fxe airspace. The radio was congested when we changed frequencys. I diverted to the northwest to widen out from fxe airspace. By the time the radio was free to make contact, we were well inside fxe's airspace. No traffic conflicts occurred because of this. I think that the approach controller did a poor job of handling us. I think he should have not offered services if he was unable to take us through this congested corridor. I would have either made calls to each tower prior to entering the airspace or taken a different route. This is a very congested route traveled by many helicopters and requires many radio calls. This area should be considered for charted helicopter rtes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: S76 PLT MAY HAVE ENTERED FXE CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT PRIOR COORD OR CLRNC DUE TO LATE FREQ CHANGE BY FLL LCL CTLR.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED AND REQUESTED VFR RADAR FLT FOLLOWING FROM MIA TWR. (7 ARPTS WITH CTL TWRS ARE IN A ROW FROM MIAMI TO N OF FORT LAUDERDALE. FLT FOLLOWING FROM THE APCH CTL MAKES THE TRANSITIONS THROUGH THE AIRSPACES EASIER AND SAFER.) THE TWR HANDED US OFF TO APCH CTL AT OUR REQUEST. THE APCH CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED US AND THEN WHEN WE WERE NEARLY OVERHEAD, OPA LOCKA ARPT. TOLD US TO CONTACT OPA LOCKA TWR FOR TRANSITION. WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE APCH CTLR, HE WANTED US TO TRANSITION NEXT THROUGH FLL AIRSPACE AT AN ALT THAT WE COULD NOT ACCEPT VFR. SO HE AGAIN SENT US TO THE TWR CTLR FOR TRANSITION. THE TWR HANDLED US AS WE CONTINUED NBOUND. WE EXPECTED TO BE HANDED BACK TO THE APCH CTLR, BUT HE CANCELED OUR RADAR COVERAGE AND TOLD US TO CONTACT FORT LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE TWR FOR TRANSITION AFTER WE WERE ALREADY IN THE FXE AIRSPACE. THE RADIO WAS CONGESTED WHEN WE CHANGED FREQS. I DIVERTED TO THE NW TO WIDEN OUT FROM FXE AIRSPACE. BY THE TIME THE RADIO WAS FREE TO MAKE CONTACT, WE WERE WELL INSIDE FXE'S AIRSPACE. NO TFC CONFLICTS OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THIS. I THINK THAT THE APCH CTLR DID A POOR JOB OF HANDLING US. I THINK HE SHOULD HAVE NOT OFFERED SVCS IF HE WAS UNABLE TO TAKE US THROUGH THIS CONGESTED CORRIDOR. I WOULD HAVE EITHER MADE CALLS TO EACH TWR PRIOR TO ENTERING THE AIRSPACE OR TAKEN A DIFFERENT RTE. THIS IS A VERY CONGESTED RTE TRAVELED BY MANY HELIS AND REQUIRES MANY RADIO CALLS. THIS AREA SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR CHARTED HELI RTES.

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.