Atx VFR from iad to dca is concerned whether or not he has clearance to enter the ca TCA.

Attributes
ACN	140296
Time
Date	199003
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	140296
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

The objective of the flight was to go VFR from iad to dca. I was advised by FSS that the flight would be handled tower to tower. We received our VFR clearance from iad delivery. On our departure iad handed us off to dca approach. I made sure that I told iad departure that we didn't intend to enter the dca TCA west/O clearance. We contacted dca approach and he said to proceed direct dca. I asked him if I needed to hear him say, 'cleared into the TCA.' he said, 'negative, you were handed off from iad departure.' I later found that this is common procedure for all flts (VFR) from iad to dca. I think that this type of information should be published so that pilots that are not familiar with it will then be aware of it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX VFR FROM IAD TO DCA IS CONCERNED WHETHER OR NOT HE HAS CLRNC TO ENTER THE CA TCA.

Narrative: THE OBJECTIVE OF THE FLT WAS TO GO VFR FROM IAD TO DCA. I WAS ADVISED BY FSS THAT THE FLT WOULD BE HANDLED TWR TO TWR. WE RECEIVED OUR VFR CLRNC FROM IAD DELIVERY. ON OUR DEP IAD HANDED US OFF TO DCA APCH. I MADE SURE THAT I TOLD IAD DEP THAT WE DIDN'T INTEND TO ENTER THE DCA TCA W/O CLRNC. WE CONTACTED DCA APCH AND HE SAID TO PROCEED DIRECT DCA. I ASKED HIM IF I NEEDED TO HEAR HIM SAY, 'CLRED INTO THE TCA.' HE SAID, 'NEGATIVE, YOU WERE HANDED OFF FROM IAD DEP.' I LATER FOUND THAT THIS IS COMMON PROC FOR ALL FLTS (VFR) FROM IAD TO DCA. I THINK THAT THIS TYPE OF INFO SHOULD BE PUBLISHED SO THAT PLTS THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT WILL THEN BE AWARE OF IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.