Narrative:

I departed VFR from san carlos airport en route to oak. I requested and received an early release from san carlos tower. My altitude was approximately 800', climbing to 1200'. I called oak tower on frequency 118.3 and was told to remain clear of the arsa and contact the tower on 127.2. Upon doing so, I was given a transponder code. No identify was established to my knowledge. Remaining clear of the arsa I became aware that I was proceeding toward hwd. Not knowing if I was in radar contact, I did a right hand 360 degree turn. The controller then directed me to proceed to the mid span of the san mateo bridge. Since this was a rearward routing, I inquired if I was in radar contact. The controller responded that I was being directed out of the hwd air traffic area. I was then given 2 more 360 degree turns because an airliner was approaching from over hwd bound for oak runway 29. After completing my third 360 degree turn I observed the airliner and was cleared to proceed VFR remaining clear of the airliner. This flight which should have taken 7 mins or less required 15 mins. Comment: this incident is typical of the communications problems associated with the oak arsa. There is very little time for communicating when flying between san carlos and the arsa, or in the opp direction. The situation is aggravated by the complex frequency/jurisdiction arrangement. This frequently means 3 or more controllers with as many frequencys will be involved with an authorization to enter the arsa. This applies for aircraft transiting as well as those landing at oak. Part of the problem lies in the fact that the outer core over hwd is controled by bay TRACON instead of oak tower. This area would in my view be better served if assigned to oak tower. Oak tower currently has the radar facs to provide this service. The area in question is the area previously comprising TRSA airspace, which was served by oak tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ENCOUNTERED DIFFICULTY IN ENTERING ARSA DUE TO AIRSPACE JURISDICTION.

Narrative: I DEPARTED VFR FROM SAN CARLOS ARPT ENRTE TO OAK. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED AN EARLY RELEASE FROM SAN CARLOS TWR. MY ALT WAS APPROX 800', CLBING TO 1200'. I CALLED OAK TWR ON FREQ 118.3 AND WAS TOLD TO REMAIN CLR OF THE ARSA AND CONTACT THE TWR ON 127.2. UPON DOING SO, I WAS GIVEN A XPONDER CODE. NO IDENT WAS ESTABLISHED TO MY KNOWLEDGE. REMAINING CLR OF THE ARSA I BECAME AWARE THAT I WAS PROCEEDING TOWARD HWD. NOT KNOWING IF I WAS IN RADAR CONTACT, I DID A RIGHT HAND 360 DEG TURN. THE CTLR THEN DIRECTED ME TO PROCEED TO THE MID SPAN OF THE SAN MATEO BRIDGE. SINCE THIS WAS A REARWARD ROUTING, I INQUIRED IF I WAS IN RADAR CONTACT. THE CTLR RESPONDED THAT I WAS BEING DIRECTED OUT OF THE HWD ATA. I WAS THEN GIVEN 2 MORE 360 DEG TURNS BECAUSE AN AIRLINER WAS APCHING FROM OVER HWD BOUND FOR OAK RWY 29. AFTER COMPLETING MY THIRD 360 DEG TURN I OBSERVED THE AIRLINER AND WAS CLRED TO PROCEED VFR REMAINING CLR OF THE AIRLINER. THIS FLT WHICH SHOULD HAVE TAKEN 7 MINS OR LESS REQUIRED 15 MINS. COMMENT: THIS INCIDENT IS TYPICAL OF THE COMS PROBS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OAK ARSA. THERE IS VERY LITTLE TIME FOR COMMUNICATING WHEN FLYING BTWN SAN CARLOS AND THE ARSA, OR IN THE OPP DIRECTION. THE SITUATION IS AGGRAVATED BY THE COMPLEX FREQ/JURISDICTION ARRANGEMENT. THIS FREQUENTLY MEANS 3 OR MORE CTLRS WITH AS MANY FREQS WILL BE INVOLVED WITH AN AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER THE ARSA. THIS APPLIES FOR ACFT TRANSITING AS WELL AS THOSE LNDG AT OAK. PART OF THE PROB LIES IN THE FACT THAT THE OUTER CORE OVER HWD IS CTLED BY BAY TRACON INSTEAD OF OAK TWR. THIS AREA WOULD IN MY VIEW BE BETTER SERVED IF ASSIGNED TO OAK TWR. OAK TWR CURRENTLY HAS THE RADAR FACS TO PROVIDE THIS SVC. THE AREA IN QUESTION IS THE AREA PREVIOUSLY COMPRISING TRSA AIRSPACE, WHICH WAS SERVED BY OAK TWR.

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.