Narrative:

I was on a san francisco bay tour with a student for their first discovery flight. I departed having arranged for a transponder code and oakland class C transition prior to departure. Having transited through oakland tower; I was instructed to contact northern california (norcal) approach on 120.90. Remaining within two-way communication throughout the entire event; we completed our flight over the bay and asked norcal for an oakland transition; landing ZZZ with the current ATIS. Norcal replied that our transition was approved; altitude at our discretion. Norcal was busy with other aircraft requests on frequency and did not issue our hand-off until we were almost abeam the oakland coliseum. After the hand-off oakland tower asked when I received my transfer; to which I replied I had just received it and made immediate contact. The controller then told me that I needed to establish two-way communication prior to entry in his area; which I had because I was talking to norcal. I replied that norcal was inundated with many pilot requests and I didn't have opportunity to make request for the hand-off earlier. I feel that my actions were in compliance with the regulations; I was using a discreet transponder code; was in two-way communications at all times with the various controlling agencies. Perhaps if norcal amended the instructions to include handoff instructions at a certain point; it could minimize workload in the event that the frequency congestion takes place. Example; 'transition approved as requested; contact oakland tower upon crossing lake merritt.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An instructor with student completed an introductory SFO Bay tour and when returning to the airport did not receive a NCT to OAK handoff until abeam the Oakland Coliseum. OAK Tower wanted information about the late communications handoff.

Narrative: I was on a San Francisco Bay Tour with a student for their first discovery flight. I departed having arranged for a transponder code and Oakland Class C transition prior to departure. Having transited through Oakland tower; I was instructed to contact Northern California (Norcal) Approach on 120.90. Remaining within two-way communication throughout the entire event; we completed our flight over the Bay and asked Norcal for an Oakland transition; landing ZZZ with the current ATIS. Norcal replied that our transition was approved; altitude at our discretion. Norcal was busy with other aircraft requests on frequency and did not issue our hand-off until we were almost abeam the Oakland Coliseum. After the hand-off Oakland tower asked when I received my transfer; to which I replied I had just received it and made immediate contact. The controller then told me that I needed to establish two-way communication prior to entry in his area; which I had because I was talking to Norcal. I replied that Norcal was inundated with many pilot requests and I didn't have opportunity to make request for the hand-off earlier. I feel that my actions were in compliance with the regulations; I was using a discreet transponder code; was in two-way communications at all times with the various controlling agencies. Perhaps if Norcal amended the instructions to include handoff instructions at a certain point; it could minimize workload in the event that the frequency congestion takes place. Example; 'transition approved as requested; contact Oakland tower upon crossing Lake Merritt.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.