Narrative:

I departed slatington, PA, airport heading 150 degrees and immediately called abe approach on 118.2. I received 'standby' from the controller. I continued on course and climbing. (The slatington airport is 10.4 NM northwest of abe.) the controller was working 2 or 3 other aircraft for approximately 2.5 mins and then there was no conversation on the frequency for approximately 20 seconds. I monitored my LORAN and was at 4.5 NM (5.2 SM) and was about to turn to circle and again call abe approach when he called me for my request. At this point I continued on course while I requested 'clearance through' on course and was reproached by the controller for entering the air traffic area west/O clearance. The incursion (if there was one!) would have occurred when he asked for my request. I feel that he was inattentive to my first call and delayed in contacting me. It seems he had a light workload at the time and the long silence prior to his call to me is puzzling. I fly through the allentown arsa frequently and find that stand by is a common first response more often than not, and moreso there than at other controled airspace areas that I fly into. The prevention for this type of problem is obvious. I also enclose a copy of a handout received from the allentown facility: according to question #2 I had legally established 2-WAY communication. According to question #4 this allowed me to proceed into the arsa (which I had not quite done either vertical or latitude). According to the same question #4 I had fulfilled the requirement to enter the air traffic area also. According to question #15 the arsa supercedes the air traffic area and leaves a question on how far can one proceed into the control area after 'establishment of 2-WAY communications?' all these so called pieces of information to help me certainly seem ambiguous and leave a lot left to guesswork. Why hand out this paperwork unless it is clear?? Also, why doesn't the FAA make up their mind on whether controled airspace should be defined in SM's or NM's? (Ie, TCA, arsa TRSA, defined in NM's and air traffic area's defined in SM's.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR UPBRAIDS REPORTER FOR ENTERING ARSA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I DEPARTED SLATINGTON, PA, ARPT HDG 150 DEGS AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED ABE APCH ON 118.2. I RECEIVED 'STANDBY' FROM THE CTLR. I CONTINUED ON COURSE AND CLBING. (THE SLATINGTON ARPT IS 10.4 NM NW OF ABE.) THE CTLR WAS WORKING 2 OR 3 OTHER ACFT FOR APPROX 2.5 MINS AND THEN THERE WAS NO CONVERSATION ON THE FREQ FOR APPROX 20 SECS. I MONITORED MY LORAN AND WAS AT 4.5 NM (5.2 SM) AND WAS ABOUT TO TURN TO CIRCLE AND AGAIN CALL ABE APCH WHEN HE CALLED ME FOR MY REQUEST. AT THIS POINT I CONTINUED ON COURSE WHILE I REQUESTED 'CLRNC THROUGH' ON COURSE AND WAS REPROACHED BY THE CTLR FOR ENTERING THE ATA W/O CLRNC. THE INCURSION (IF THERE WAS ONE!) WOULD HAVE OCCURRED WHEN HE ASKED FOR MY REQUEST. I FEEL THAT HE WAS INATTENTIVE TO MY FIRST CALL AND DELAYED IN CONTACTING ME. IT SEEMS HE HAD A LIGHT WORKLOAD AT THE TIME AND THE LONG SILENCE PRIOR TO HIS CALL TO ME IS PUZZLING. I FLY THROUGH THE ALLENTOWN ARSA FREQUENTLY AND FIND THAT STAND BY IS A COMMON FIRST RESPONSE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, AND MORESO THERE THAN AT OTHER CTLED AIRSPACE AREAS THAT I FLY INTO. THE PREVENTION FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM IS OBVIOUS. I ALSO ENCLOSE A COPY OF A HANDOUT RECEIVED FROM THE ALLENTOWN FAC: ACCORDING TO QUESTION #2 I HAD LEGALLY ESTABLISHED 2-WAY COM. ACCORDING TO QUESTION #4 THIS ALLOWED ME TO PROCEED INTO THE ARSA (WHICH I HAD NOT QUITE DONE EITHER VERT OR LAT). ACCORDING TO THE SAME QUESTION #4 I HAD FULFILLED THE REQUIREMENT TO ENTER THE ATA ALSO. ACCORDING TO QUESTION #15 THE ARSA SUPERCEDES THE ATA AND LEAVES A QUESTION ON HOW FAR CAN ONE PROCEED INTO THE CTL AREA AFTER 'ESTABLISHMENT OF 2-WAY COMS?' ALL THESE SO CALLED PIECES OF INFO TO HELP ME CERTAINLY SEEM AMBIGUOUS AND LEAVE A LOT LEFT TO GUESSWORK. WHY HAND OUT THIS PAPERWORK UNLESS IT IS CLEAR?? ALSO, WHY DOESN'T THE FAA MAKE UP THEIR MIND ON WHETHER CTLED AIRSPACE SHOULD BE DEFINED IN SM'S OR NM'S? (IE, TCA, ARSA TRSA, DEFINED IN NM'S AND ATA'S DEFINED IN SM'S.)

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.