Narrative:

I radioed atl approach and requested advisories from my position approximately 5 mi south of the la grange VOR, on a heading of 360 degrees, to fly direct to rome VOR at 4500'. My transponder was squawking 1200 and the altitude of 4500'. The frequency for atl approach was given to me by the columbus approach which I had passed by just prior to this contact. The sectional chart I was navigating by is dated 41ST edition, 9/xx/88 atl. Instead of issuing a squawk code the controller began with, 'are you aware of the TCA requirements?' I answered I thought I was as I was a private pilot, was flying in contact with ATC, and was operating an altitude reporting transponder. The controller then stated that the route I had requested or stated I would fly la grange VOR direct to rome VOR at 4500' would put me into the TCA. The controller returned, 'yes, you will be into the TCA.' I again checked with the atl sectional and noted that I would be outside the TCA also even if I were not perfectly on course, I still would be way under the floor of 10000' at the altitude I was flying and squawking at 4500'. The controller finally gave me a code to squawk and I flew on to rome and on to chicago. I don't know what the controller was referring to when he asked if I knew what the requirements were to fly out or inside a TCA. It's tough enough flying around some areas, let alone wonder and preoccupy yourself with, 'am I in violation?' it's enough to fly in contact with ATC, ask for radar advisories, look for traffic and then have to worry about what the controller meant with the questions he asked. I think he could have made himself much clearer by explaining what he meant. After all, according to my atl sectional, I was outside the TCA and didn't have to contact anyone. I did because I wanted the added safety of their radar advisories.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF GA SMA CONCERNED ABOUT ACTION BY APCH CTLR WHEN REQUESTING FLT FOLLOWING IN VICINITY OF TCA.

Narrative: I RADIOED ATL APCH AND REQUESTED ADVISORIES FROM MY POS APPROX 5 MI S OF THE LA GRANGE VOR, ON A HDG OF 360 DEGS, TO FLY DIRECT TO ROME VOR AT 4500'. MY XPONDER WAS SQUAWKING 1200 AND THE ALT OF 4500'. THE FREQ FOR ATL APCH WAS GIVEN TO ME BY THE COLUMBUS APCH WHICH I HAD PASSED BY JUST PRIOR TO THIS CONTACT. THE SECTIONAL CHART I WAS NAVIGATING BY IS DATED 41ST EDITION, 9/XX/88 ATL. INSTEAD OF ISSUING A SQUAWK CODE THE CTLR BEGAN WITH, 'ARE YOU AWARE OF THE TCA REQUIREMENTS?' I ANSWERED I THOUGHT I WAS AS I WAS A PVT PLT, WAS FLYING IN CONTACT WITH ATC, AND WAS OPERATING AN ALT RPTING XPONDER. THE CTLR THEN STATED THAT THE ROUTE I HAD REQUESTED OR STATED I WOULD FLY LA GRANGE VOR DIRECT TO ROME VOR AT 4500' WOULD PUT ME INTO THE TCA. THE CTLR RETURNED, 'YES, YOU WILL BE INTO THE TCA.' I AGAIN CHKED WITH THE ATL SECTIONAL AND NOTED THAT I WOULD BE OUTSIDE THE TCA ALSO EVEN IF I WERE NOT PERFECTLY ON COURSE, I STILL WOULD BE WAY UNDER THE FLOOR OF 10000' AT THE ALT I WAS FLYING AND SQUAWKING AT 4500'. THE CTLR FINALLY GAVE ME A CODE TO SQUAWK AND I FLEW ON TO ROME AND ON TO CHICAGO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CTLR WAS REFERRING TO WHEN HE ASKED IF I KNEW WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS WERE TO FLY OUT OR INSIDE A TCA. IT'S TOUGH ENOUGH FLYING AROUND SOME AREAS, LET ALONE WONDER AND PREOCCUPY YOURSELF WITH, 'AM I IN VIOLATION?' IT'S ENOUGH TO FLY IN CONTACT WITH ATC, ASK FOR RADAR ADVISORIES, LOOK FOR TFC AND THEN HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT THE CTLR MEANT WITH THE QUESTIONS HE ASKED. I THINK HE COULD HAVE MADE HIMSELF MUCH CLEARER BY EXPLAINING WHAT HE MEANT. AFTER ALL, ACCORDING TO MY ATL SECTIONAL, I WAS OUTSIDE THE TCA AND DIDN'T HAVE TO CONTACT ANYONE. I DID BECAUSE I WANTED THE ADDED SAFETY OF THEIR RADAR ADVISORIES.

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.