Narrative:

I experienced difficulties filing an IFR flight plan with FSS on the phone prior to flight. I could not get connected with a local briefer. On my third phone call; I was able to connect to a non-local briefer at an unknown location and filed an IFR flight plan. I confirmed with the briefer that I would comply with all ADIZ restrs by opening my flight plan on the ground with potomac approach. FSS should be manned to be able to handle all local requirements by local briefers. I could not establish radio contact with potomac approach while on the ground at fme. I could hear potomac approach; but apparently potomac approach could not receive my xmissions. I attempted contact from the main ramp in parking; in the run-up area; and while holding short for runway 10. I took off and remained in the fme visual traffic pattern until I made contact with potomac approach. My transponder code was set to 1200 during this time since I could not contact a controling agency. Potomac approach informed me the 1200 transponder code could not be utilized in the washington dc ADIZ. I was assigned a discrete transponder code; confirmed radar contact by potomac approach; and then was able to pick up my IFR clearance. I was told to call potomac approach via telephone once I reached my destination. I complied with the directions issued by potomac approach; and was informed that departing from an airfield in the washington dc ADIZ on a 1200 transponder code constituted an ADIZ violation. FSS should be able to assign discrete transponder codes to each aircraft filing an IFR flight plan; with that transponder code being entered into the system with the other flight plan information. This would give controling agencies an additional means to confirm the identity and intentions of an aircraft. Additionally; once contact was made with potomac approach; the controller had difficulty retrieving my filed IFR flight plan. The failure of the system to reliably xfer the flight plan information from the FSS to the controling agency creates additional workload on the controller and the pilot and contributes to potential hazards. Opening the flight plan on the ground is another potential solution. Including telephone numbers in addition to the radio frequency for the approach control in the communications section of the airport information in the airport/facility directory would facilitate this action. Drawbacks to this solution include the potential to rush the pilot through preflight duties in order to meet an assigned void time; or having to stop monitoring the unicom frequency in order to make the call via cell phone from the aircraft when ready for departure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PILOT REPORTS UNRELIABLE SYSTEM FOR FILING AND RECEIVING IFR FLT PLANS DEP WASHINGTON ADIZ. FSS BRIEFING PROBLEMS AND COMMUNICATIONS BEFORE TKOF.

Narrative: I EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTIES FILING AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH FSS ON THE PHONE PRIOR TO FLT. I COULD NOT GET CONNECTED WITH A LCL BRIEFER. ON MY THIRD PHONE CALL; I WAS ABLE TO CONNECT TO A NON-LCL BRIEFER AT AN UNKNOWN LOCATION AND FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN. I CONFIRMED WITH THE BRIEFER THAT I WOULD COMPLY WITH ALL ADIZ RESTRS BY OPENING MY FLT PLAN ON THE GND WITH POTOMAC APCH. FSS SHOULD BE MANNED TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE ALL LCL REQUIREMENTS BY LCL BRIEFERS. I COULD NOT ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT WITH POTOMAC APCH WHILE ON THE GND AT FME. I COULD HEAR POTOMAC APCH; BUT APPARENTLY POTOMAC APCH COULD NOT RECEIVE MY XMISSIONS. I ATTEMPTED CONTACT FROM THE MAIN RAMP IN PARKING; IN THE RUN-UP AREA; AND WHILE HOLDING SHORT FOR RWY 10. I TOOK OFF AND REMAINED IN THE FME VISUAL TFC PATTERN UNTIL I MADE CONTACT WITH POTOMAC APCH. MY XPONDER CODE WAS SET TO 1200 DURING THIS TIME SINCE I COULD NOT CONTACT A CTLING AGENCY. POTOMAC APCH INFORMED ME THE 1200 XPONDER CODE COULD NOT BE UTILIZED IN THE WASHINGTON DC ADIZ. I WAS ASSIGNED A DISCRETE XPONDER CODE; CONFIRMED RADAR CONTACT BY POTOMAC APCH; AND THEN WAS ABLE TO PICK UP MY IFR CLRNC. I WAS TOLD TO CALL POTOMAC APCH VIA TELEPHONE ONCE I REACHED MY DEST. I COMPLIED WITH THE DIRECTIONS ISSUED BY POTOMAC APCH; AND WAS INFORMED THAT DEPARTING FROM AN AIRFIELD IN THE WASHINGTON DC ADIZ ON A 1200 XPONDER CODE CONSTITUTED AN ADIZ VIOLATION. FSS SHOULD BE ABLE TO ASSIGN DISCRETE XPONDER CODES TO EACH ACFT FILING AN IFR FLT PLAN; WITH THAT XPONDER CODE BEING ENTERED INTO THE SYS WITH THE OTHER FLT PLAN INFO. THIS WOULD GIVE CTLING AGENCIES AN ADDITIONAL MEANS TO CONFIRM THE IDENTITY AND INTENTIONS OF AN ACFT. ADDITIONALLY; ONCE CONTACT WAS MADE WITH POTOMAC APCH; THE CTLR HAD DIFFICULTY RETRIEVING MY FILED IFR FLT PLAN. THE FAILURE OF THE SYS TO RELIABLY XFER THE FLT PLAN INFO FROM THE FSS TO THE CTLING AGENCY CREATES ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD ON THE CTLR AND THE PLT AND CONTRIBUTES TO POTENTIAL HAZARDS. OPENING THE FLT PLAN ON THE GND IS ANOTHER POTENTIAL SOLUTION. INCLUDING TELEPHONE NUMBERS IN ADDITION TO THE RADIO FREQ FOR THE APCH CTL IN THE COMS SECTION OF THE ARPT INFO IN THE ARPT/FACILITY DIRECTORY WOULD FACILITATE THIS ACTION. DRAWBACKS TO THIS SOLUTION INCLUDE THE POTENTIAL TO RUSH THE PLT THROUGH PREFLT DUTIES IN ORDER TO MEET AN ASSIGNED VOID TIME; OR HAVING TO STOP MONITORING THE UNICOM FREQ IN ORDER TO MAKE THE CALL VIA CELL PHONE FROM THE ACFT WHEN READY FOR DEP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.