Narrative:

We were at meigs airport, chicago, il and going VFR to grand rapids, mi. I obtained this information from ATIS, 127.35. Called ground to get clearance and taxi instructions. Ground control didn't answer, so I called the tower frequency and got a response. After telling tower I wanted to depart VFR, I was instructed to taxi to runway 36. After the run-up, I called the tower and requested departure instructions. The tower wanted to know what heading I wanted. My response was 075 degrees and I was going direct to pullman VOR. The tower cleared me for takeoff on runway 36, with a right turn to 075 degrees, with no comment on altitude. I stayed with the tower frequency expecting to be turned over chicago approach 118.4 on VFR advisories on 126.8. Meigs tower called me after approximately 3 mins and requested I call ord approach on 118.4. This I did and ord approach advised I had penetrated the bottom of the TCA. My response was, I had remained with meigs tower waiting for a turnover and that meigs had not given me an altitude limit. Ord approach responded by stating them was no other traffic and that meigs tower did not have any authority over the TCA. End of conversation. My mistake, I guess, was not requesting meigs tower to turn me over to ord approach right after turning onto the heading of 075 degrees. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: pilot accepts responsibility although still not sure he penetrated TCA floor. Feels ATC could be more cooperative and assist in timely handoff and reminder of TCA proximity. Pilot did have commercial TCA chart aboard.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT DEPARTED ARPT UNDER FLOOR OF TCA AND PENETRATED WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE AT MEIGS ARPT, CHICAGO, IL AND GOING VFR TO GRAND RAPIDS, MI. I OBTAINED THIS INFO FROM ATIS, 127.35. CALLED GND TO GET CLRNC AND TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. GND CTL DIDN'T ANSWER, SO I CALLED THE TWR FREQ AND GOT A RESPONSE. AFTER TELLING TWR I WANTED TO DEPART VFR, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAXI TO RWY 36. AFTER THE RUN-UP, I CALLED THE TWR AND REQUESTED DEP INSTRUCTIONS. THE TWR WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HDG I WANTED. MY RESPONSE WAS 075 DEGS AND I WAS GOING DIRECT TO PULLMAN VOR. THE TWR CLRED ME FOR TKOF ON RWY 36, WITH A RIGHT TURN TO 075 DEGS, WITH NO COMMENT ON ALT. I STAYED WITH THE TWR FREQ EXPECTING TO BE TURNED OVER CHICAGO APCH 118.4 ON VFR ADVISORIES ON 126.8. MEIGS TWR CALLED ME AFTER APPROX 3 MINS AND REQUESTED I CALL ORD APCH ON 118.4. THIS I DID AND ORD APCH ADVISED I HAD PENETRATED THE BOTTOM OF THE TCA. MY RESPONSE WAS, I HAD REMAINED WITH MEIGS TWR WAITING FOR A TURNOVER AND THAT MEIGS HAD NOT GIVEN ME AN ALT LIMIT. ORD APCH RESPONDED BY STATING THEM WAS NO OTHER TFC AND THAT MEIGS TWR DID NOT HAVE ANY AUTHORITY OVER THE TCA. END OF CONVERSATION. MY MISTAKE, I GUESS, WAS NOT REQUESTING MEIGS TWR TO TURN ME OVER TO ORD APCH RIGHT AFTER TURNING ONTO THE HDG OF 075 DEGS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: PLT ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY ALTHOUGH STILL NOT SURE HE PENETRATED TCA FLOOR. FEELS ATC COULD BE MORE COOPERATIVE AND ASSIST IN TIMELY HDOF AND REMINDER OF TCA PROX. PLT DID HAVE COMMERCIAL TCA CHART ABOARD.

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