Narrative:

On mar/fri/92, I departed bowman field VFR to bowling green, ky, in an small aircraft. I requested bowman tower that I wanted radar advisories. Since bowman field is a satellite airport which is approximately 8 mi from staniford field, and is under the louisville arsa, I had this option. I advised bowman tower that I would like 4500 ft MSL as a final altitude. I was assigned at or below 2500 ft MSL until further advised by staniford departure. I departed bowman field, turned onto my assigned heading, and contacted staniford approach climbing through 1000 ft. They confirmed my radar identify, and cleared me to 4500 ft MSL. I advised them that I needed to stay at 2500 ft MSL for VFR cloud clrncs. At this time, I notified them that I believed my mode C was not working. They confirmed it inoperative and continued to vector me through the arsa and terminated radar service 20 mi south of louisville. At the time of the mode C violation, I did not realize that I was in potential danger of creating a violation. I assumed that approach control would, if they did not want me in their airspace without mode C, would have radar vectored me under and around the louisville, ky, arsa. After discussing this situation with other pilots, I came to the conclusion that I might have been in violation of flying in an arsa without mode C. It is, in my opinion, that the FAA needs to send advisory circulars to all pilots pointing out when and where you must have an operating mode C transponder. I believe that this would help eliminate future occurrences such as the one described above.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ENTERS ARSA WHEN NOT MEETING THE ALT RPTING REQUIREMENT MODE C AS SPECIFIED IN FAR 91 PT 215(B)(4)(I)(II)(C).

Narrative: ON MAR/FRI/92, I DEPARTED BOWMAN FIELD VFR TO BOWLING GREEN, KY, IN AN SMA. I REQUESTED BOWMAN TWR THAT I WANTED RADAR ADVISORIES. SINCE BOWMAN FIELD IS A SATELLITE ARPT WHICH IS APPROX 8 MI FROM STANIFORD FIELD, AND IS UNDER THE LOUISVILLE ARSA, I HAD THIS OPTION. I ADVISED BOWMAN TWR THAT I WOULD LIKE 4500 FT MSL AS A FINAL ALT. I WAS ASSIGNED AT OR BELOW 2500 FT MSL UNTIL FURTHER ADVISED BY STANIFORD DEP. I DEPARTED BOWMAN FIELD, TURNED ONTO MY ASSIGNED HDG, AND CONTACTED STANIFORD APCH CLBING THROUGH 1000 FT. THEY CONFIRMED MY RADAR IDENT, AND CLRED ME TO 4500 FT MSL. I ADVISED THEM THAT I NEEDED TO STAY AT 2500 FT MSL FOR VFR CLOUD CLRNCS. AT THIS TIME, I NOTIFIED THEM THAT I BELIEVED MY MODE C WAS NOT WORKING. THEY CONFIRMED IT INOP AND CONTINUED TO VECTOR ME THROUGH THE ARSA AND TERMINATED RADAR SVC 20 MI S OF LOUISVILLE. AT THE TIME OF THE MODE C VIOLATION, I DID NOT REALIZE THAT I WAS IN POTENTIAL DANGER OF CREATING A VIOLATION. I ASSUMED THAT APCH CTL WOULD, IF THEY DID NOT WANT ME IN THEIR AIRSPACE WITHOUT MODE C, WOULD HAVE RADAR VECTORED ME UNDER AND AROUND THE LOUISVILLE, KY, ARSA. AFTER DISCUSSING THIS SITUATION WITH OTHER PLTS, I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT I MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN VIOLATION OF FLYING IN AN ARSA WITHOUT MODE C. IT IS, IN MY OPINION, THAT THE FAA NEEDS TO SEND ADVISORY CIRCULARS TO ALL PLTS POINTING OUT WHEN AND WHERE YOU MUST HAVE AN OPERATING MODE C TRANSPONDER. I BELIEVE THAT THIS WOULD HELP ELIMINATE FUTURE OCCURRENCES SUCH AS THE ONE DESCRIBED ABOVE.

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.