Narrative:

I picked up the plane after the annual inspection at mry. I was cleared to taxi to intersection lima at bravo for subsequent take off on runway 28L (a 7616 ft long runway). This would have cut off about 3500 ft (estimate) of usable runway length. As I was taxing I reconsidered the clearance and requested a runway crossing at taxiway left and taxi for a full runway length take off clearance on runway 28L explaining that the plane just had maintenance work done and that this was a return to flight status flight. I also wanted to do a close in pattern just in case. The controller snapped back with a sarcastic; 'isn't a 4000 ft runway adequate for your aircraft?' I explained again my concern over first flight to service and was told to hold clear of runway 29L. I was held there for no apparent reason for a long time while no traffic appeared to be a factor until eventually a regional jet taxied by on the other side and I was told to follow the only jet moving on the airfield. I got several snappy instructions and was finally cleared for takeoff. I climbed to a high downwind position and was tartly reminded that for my future information the pattern altitude for single engine aircraft is 1200 ft. After my touch and go I followed the departure instructions and departed after the freeway crossing on a heading of 340 degrees. It has been my experience that shortly after shore passage a handover is made to departure. This time I was getting pretty far offshore and was getting concerned about making a return to land in case of a mechanical problem and requested a heading towards shore after which he told me to switch over to departure and make my request. My intentions I believe were clear as I wanted to maximize my return to airfield chances if there was a mechanical problem. I feel that the controller's handling of my request was unprofessional; retaliatory and not in the interest of safety.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DEP FROM MRY ON INITIAL FLT AFTER ANNUAL MAINT INSPECTION QUESTIONED ATC HANDLING.

Narrative: I PICKED UP THE PLANE AFTER THE ANNUAL INSPECTION AT MRY. I WAS CLEARED TO TAXI TO INTERSECTION LIMA AT BRAVO FOR SUBSEQUENT TAKE OFF ON RWY 28L (A 7616 FT LONG RWY). THIS WOULD HAVE CUT OFF ABOUT 3500 FT (ESTIMATE) OF USABLE RWY LENGTH. AS I WAS TAXING I RECONSIDERED THE CLEARANCE AND REQUESTED A RUNWAY CROSSING AT TXWY L AND TAXI FOR A FULL RUNWAY LENGTH TAKE OFF CLEARANCE ON RWY 28L EXPLAINING THAT THE PLANE JUST HAD MAINTENANCE WORK DONE AND THAT THIS WAS A RETURN TO FLIGHT STATUS FLIGHT. I ALSO WANTED TO DO A CLOSE IN PATTERN JUST IN CASE. THE CONTROLLER SNAPPED BACK WITH A SARCASTIC; 'ISN'T A 4000 FT RUNWAY ADEQUATE FOR YOUR ACFT?' I EXPLAINED AGAIN MY CONCERN OVER FIRST FLIGHT TO SERVICE AND WAS TOLD TO HOLD CLEAR OF RWY 29L. I WAS HELD THERE FOR NO APPARENT REASON FOR A LONG TIME WHILE NO TRAFFIC APPEARED TO BE A FACTOR UNTIL EVENTUALLY A REGIONAL JET TAXIED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE AND I WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW THE ONLY JET MOVING ON THE AIRFIELD. I GOT SEVERAL SNAPPY INSTRUCTIONS AND WAS FINALLY CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF. I CLIMBED TO A HIGH DOWNWIND POSITION AND WAS TARTLY REMINDED THAT FOR MY FUTURE INFORMATION THE PATTERN ALTITUDE FOR SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT IS 1200 FT. AFTER MY TOUCH AND GO I FOLLOWED THE DEPARTURE INSTRUCTIONS AND DEPARTED AFTER THE FREEWAY CROSSING ON A HEADING OF 340 DEGS. IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT SHORTLY AFTER SHORE PASSAGE A HANDOVER IS MADE TO DEPARTURE. THIS TIME I WAS GETTING PRETTY FAR OFFSHORE AND WAS GETTING CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING A RETURN TO LAND IN CASE OF A MECHANICAL PROBLEM AND REQUESTED A HEADING TOWARDS SHORE AFTER WHICH HE TOLD ME TO SWITCH OVER TO DEPARTURE AND MAKE MY REQUEST. MY INTENTIONS I BELIEVE WERE CLEAR AS I WANTED TO MAXIMIZE MY RETURN TO AIRFIELD CHANCES IF THERE WAS A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT THE CONTROLLER'S HANDLING OF MY REQUEST WAS UNPROFESSIONAL; RETALIATORY AND NOT IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.