Narrative:

Completing 1/2 hour flight from niagara falls, ny (iag) to rochester, ny (R0C). Contacted roc approach when 33 NM out. Assigned squawk and communicated toward airport, heading approximately 85-90 degree. Reported airport in sight when 10-11 NM out. Approach told us contact tower expect straight-in runway 10. When 6 NM out tower modified clearance to land runway 7 (left base) then between there and reaching runway, tower cleared me to land 10, 7, 10, and finally runway 7 again requiring significant turns and reorientation to runway. On final turn to final runway 7, overflew the widebody transport about 200 AGL, less than 1/4 mi offset (in position and hold) on runway 4. Airliner captain told tower he didn't like that maneuver. I commented also that it didn't seem right to me. When I questioned the FBO if the runway frequently did this FLIP-flop runway assignment, I was told that it was probably due to runway stripe-painting operation. I thought maybe the tower was confusing two of us planes with similar tail number, but both my wife and I had on headsets and heard the same instructions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA WAS GIVEN SEVERAL LNDG RWY CHANGES IN THE LAST 11 NM OF STRAIGHT IN APCH TO ROC.

Narrative: COMPLETING 1/2 HR FLT FROM NIAGARA FALLS, NY (IAG) TO ROCHESTER, NY (R0C). CONTACTED ROC APCH WHEN 33 NM OUT. ASSIGNED SQUAWK AND COMMUNICATED TOWARD ARPT, HDG APPROX 85-90 DEG. REPORTED ARPT IN SIGHT WHEN 10-11 NM OUT. APCH TOLD US CONTACT TWR EXPECT STRAIGHT-IN RWY 10. WHEN 6 NM OUT TWR MODIFIED CLRNC TO LAND RWY 7 (LEFT BASE) THEN BETWEEN THERE AND REACHING RWY, TWR CLRED ME TO LAND 10, 7, 10, AND FINALLY RWY 7 AGAIN REQUIRING SIGNIFICANT TURNS AND REORIENTATION TO RWY. ON FINAL TURN TO FINAL RWY 7, OVERFLEW THE WDB ABOUT 200 AGL, LESS THAN 1/4 MI OFFSET (IN POSITION AND HOLD) ON RWY 4. AIRLINER CAPT TOLD TWR HE DIDN'T LIKE THAT MANEUVER. I COMMENTED ALSO THAT IT DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT TO ME. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE FBO IF THE RWY FREQUENTLY DID THIS FLIP-FLOP RWY ASSIGNMENT, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO RWY STRIPE-PAINTING OPERATION. I THOUGHT MAYBE THE TWR WAS CONFUSING TWO OF US PLANES WITH SIMILAR TAIL NUMBER, BUT BOTH MY WIFE AND I HAD ON HEADSETS AND HEARD THE SAME INSTRUCTIONS.

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.