Narrative:

IFR flight plan from bwi to teb in clear WX after having been descended by phl approach control to 4000'. Communications were normal throughout the flight with no apparent radio trouble up until the time I was instructed to switch to ny approach. I was cleared to teterboro. Could not raise ny, but could hear them. Finally they called and worked me by having me squawk identify on the transponder. There was, as usual, a tremendous amount of radio traffic. After being switched to the close in controller they began to read my xmissions and finally switched me to teterboro tower where normal communications were carried on with both the tower and ground control. IFR departure back to bwi from teb was conducted a few hours later with no difficulty except for difficulty making contact with second controller after level off. This was in the same geographical location as where I had trouble earlier in the day. Radios were checked by radio shop at teb and except for a loose set screw on switch which transfers use between T/right's 1 & 2 all radios operated normally. This is not the first time I have had the uneasy feeling of not being able to contact ny approach after leaving phl northbound. Others tell me the same thing--being told by ny approach, in a demeaning way, that I have been in their TCA for 6 mi or 6 mins(?) west/O contacting them--while trying to contact them with radios that I know are working while rapidly approaching an ILS final approach course is disquieting to say the least. I had clearance into his area and I know they are busy, but so is the pilot. I have been at the business of IFR flight longer than most of these people have been alive--not to mention controling traffic--and I know when, instinctively, the airlines and other jet traffic get preferential treatment over such intruders as me and my airplane have become. Although I recognize that, not much can be done overnight about major terminal area crowding this particular corridor inbound to teterboro from the dca, bwi, phl area should be examined closely. If we (light twins) cannot come into an area with equal treatment, keep us out.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RADIO COM PROBLEM.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN FROM BWI TO TEB IN CLEAR WX AFTER HAVING BEEN DSNDED BY PHL APCH CTL TO 4000'. COMS WERE NORMAL THROUGHOUT THE FLT WITH NO APPARENT RADIO TROUBLE UP UNTIL THE TIME I WAS INSTRUCTED TO SWITCH TO NY APCH. I WAS CLRED TO TETERBORO. COULD NOT RAISE NY, BUT COULD HEAR THEM. FINALLY THEY CALLED AND WORKED ME BY HAVING ME SQUAWK IDENT ON THE TRANSPONDER. THERE WAS, AS USUAL, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RADIO TFC. AFTER BEING SWITCHED TO THE CLOSE IN CTLR THEY BEGAN TO READ MY XMISSIONS AND FINALLY SWITCHED ME TO TETERBORO TWR WHERE NORMAL COMS WERE CARRIED ON WITH BOTH THE TWR AND GND CTL. IFR DEP BACK TO BWI FROM TEB WAS CONDUCTED A FEW HRS LATER WITH NO DIFFICULTY EXCEPT FOR DIFFICULTY MAKING CONTACT WITH SECOND CTLR AFTER LEVEL OFF. THIS WAS IN THE SAME GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AS WHERE I HAD TROUBLE EARLIER IN THE DAY. RADIOS WERE CHKED BY RADIO SHOP AT TEB AND EXCEPT FOR A LOOSE SET SCREW ON SWITCH WHICH TRANSFERS USE BTWN T/R'S 1 & 2 ALL RADIOS OPERATED NORMALLY. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD THE UNEASY FEELING OF NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTACT NY APCH AFTER LEAVING PHL NBND. OTHERS TELL ME THE SAME THING--BEING TOLD BY NY APCH, IN A DEMEANING WAY, THAT I HAVE BEEN IN THEIR TCA FOR 6 MI OR 6 MINS(?) W/O CONTACTING THEM--WHILE TRYING TO CONTACT THEM WITH RADIOS THAT I KNOW ARE WORKING WHILE RAPIDLY APCHING AN ILS FINAL APCH COURSE IS DISQUIETING TO SAY THE LEAST. I HAD CLRNC INTO HIS AREA AND I KNOW THEY ARE BUSY, BUT SO IS THE PLT. I HAVE BEEN AT THE BUSINESS OF IFR FLT LONGER THAN MOST OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ALIVE--NOT TO MENTION CTLING TFC--AND I KNOW WHEN, INSTINCTIVELY, THE AIRLINES AND OTHER JET TFC GET PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT OVER SUCH INTRUDERS AS ME AND MY AIRPLANE HAVE BECOME. ALTHOUGH I RECOGNIZE THAT, NOT MUCH CAN BE DONE OVERNIGHT ABOUT MAJOR TERMINAL AREA CROWDING THIS PARTICULAR CORRIDOR INBOUND TO TETERBORO FROM THE DCA, BWI, PHL AREA SHOULD BE EXAMINED CLOSELY. IF WE (LIGHT TWINS) CANNOT COME INTO AN AREA WITH EQUAL TREATMENT, KEEP US OUT.

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.