Pilot reporter concerned that he may have entered nuq arsa unauthorized.

Attributes
ACN	109122
Time
Date	198904
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nuq
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak tower : nuq tower : pao
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	109122
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Instructed by pao ord 'enter moffett air traffic area at or above 2000', squawk XXXX.' upon crosswind turn at pao instructed to contact moffett. Moffett restated, 'enter moffett at 2000,' continue for landing south county. We climbed to 2400' northwest of moffett hangar 1. Controller asked altitude. I stated 2400'. Student reported something I couldn't hear. Moffett then stated, 'maintain 2000,' after other conversation. Then we were handed to bay. I think we got close to but not in the arsa overhead moffett. But, I also thought we were entitled to enter the arsa because of the squawk and the enter moffett 'at or above 2000 instruction.' if moffett tower is not authority/authorized to issue arsa instructions, it needs to be cut out of the ATC handoff circuit in this airspace. We also need clearly published air traffic area/arsa boundaries on our local charts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT REPORTER CONCERNED THAT HE MAY HAVE ENTERED NUQ ARSA UNAUTH.

Narrative: INSTRUCTED BY PAO ORD 'ENTER MOFFETT ATA AT OR ABOVE 2000', SQUAWK XXXX.' UPON XWIND TURN AT PAO INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT MOFFETT. MOFFETT RESTATED, 'ENTER MOFFETT AT 2000,' CONTINUE FOR LNDG SOUTH COUNTY. WE CLBED TO 2400' NW OF MOFFETT HANGAR 1. CTLR ASKED ALT. I STATED 2400'. STUDENT RPTED SOMETHING I COULDN'T HEAR. MOFFETT THEN STATED, 'MAINTAIN 2000,' AFTER OTHER CONVERSATION. THEN WE WERE HANDED TO BAY. I THINK WE GOT CLOSE TO BUT NOT IN THE ARSA OVERHEAD MOFFETT. BUT, I ALSO THOUGHT WE WERE ENTITLED TO ENTER THE ARSA BECAUSE OF THE SQUAWK AND THE ENTER MOFFETT 'AT OR ABOVE 2000 INSTRUCTION.' IF MOFFETT TWR IS NOT AUTH TO ISSUE ARSA INSTRUCTIONS, IT NEEDS TO BE CUT OUT OF THE ATC HDOF CIRCUIT IN THIS AIRSPACE. WE ALSO NEED CLEARLY PUBLISHED ATA/ARSA BOUNDARIES ON OUR LCL CHARTS.

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.