Narrative:

Upon landing in tampa at approximately XA20 I was asked by company to swap aircraft. As I was preflting the aircraft from the previous pilot just a few mins before, the mechanic came out and swapped the transponders. I asked if everything was all right and he said yes. I took off and was queried by tampa departure, if my transponder was on. I stated it was and I was getting a reply. Later he questioned it once again and I stated that perhaps it had to warm up. The controller asked for the tail number and I responded accordingly. He asked if that was the plane that just came in from orlando and I stated yes. He asked if the tail number was b-xyz. I said no. I asked if the transponder was a problem, he said no, that the supervisor wanted the information. I continued the flight because their workload was low at this time and they had a good primary target. Tampa handed me off to ZJX and they had no problem with handling me. He even gave me direct to jacksonville international. Jax approach had no problem with the transponder inoperative and even called for me to tampa to see if they would let me get back into tampa. Tampa told them that it was ok. So after unloading freight I departed back to tampa our base to get the plane repaired. All controllers were helpful and had no problem working the aircraft. Returning to tampa I wrote the transponder up in the discrepancy log. Note there was no entry before mine to indicate I had a problem before my original departure. Since this incident orl FAA has been inquiring why I left with this plane. I truly believe orlando FAA overlooks all major company problems with aircraft and only goes after the easy score. Pilots should not be their scapegoats for them not getting down on companies.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROBLEM, TRANSPONDER OPERATING PROC.

Narrative: UPON LNDG IN TAMPA AT APPROX XA20 I WAS ASKED BY COMPANY TO SWAP ACFT. AS I WAS PREFLTING THE ACFT FROM THE PREVIOUS PLT JUST A FEW MINS BEFORE, THE MECH CAME OUT AND SWAPPED THE TRANSPONDERS. I ASKED IF EVERYTHING WAS ALL RIGHT AND HE SAID YES. I TOOK OFF AND WAS QUERIED BY TAMPA DEP, IF MY TRANSPONDER WAS ON. I STATED IT WAS AND I WAS GETTING A REPLY. LATER HE QUESTIONED IT ONCE AGAIN AND I STATED THAT PERHAPS IT HAD TO WARM UP. THE CTLR ASKED FOR THE TAIL NUMBER AND I RESPONDED ACCORDINGLY. HE ASKED IF THAT WAS THE PLANE THAT JUST CAME IN FROM ORLANDO AND I STATED YES. HE ASKED IF THE TAIL NUMBER WAS B-XYZ. I SAID NO. I ASKED IF THE TRANSPONDER WAS A PROBLEM, HE SAID NO, THAT THE SUPVR WANTED THE INFO. I CONTINUED THE FLT BECAUSE THEIR WORKLOAD WAS LOW AT THIS TIME AND THEY HAD A GOOD PRIMARY TARGET. TAMPA HANDED ME OFF TO ZJX AND THEY HAD NO PROBLEM WITH HANDLING ME. HE EVEN GAVE ME DIRECT TO JACKSONVILLE INTL. JAX APCH HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSPONDER INOP AND EVEN CALLED FOR ME TO TAMPA TO SEE IF THEY WOULD LET ME GET BACK INTO TAMPA. TAMPA TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS OK. SO AFTER UNLOADING FREIGHT I DEPARTED BACK TO TAMPA OUR BASE TO GET THE PLANE REPAIRED. ALL CTLRS WERE HELPFUL AND HAD NO PROBLEM WORKING THE ACFT. RETURNING TO TAMPA I WROTE THE TRANSPONDER UP IN THE DISCREPANCY LOG. NOTE THERE WAS NO ENTRY BEFORE MINE TO INDICATE I HAD A PROBLEM BEFORE MY ORIGINAL DEP. SINCE THIS INCIDENT ORL FAA HAS BEEN INQUIRING WHY I LEFT WITH THIS PLANE. I TRULY BELIEVE ORLANDO FAA OVERLOOKS ALL MAJOR COMPANY PROBLEMS WITH ACFT AND ONLY GOES AFTER THE EASY SCORE. PLTS SHOULD NOT BE THEIR SCAPEGOATS FOR THEM NOT GETTING DOWN ON COMPANIES.

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.