Narrative:

After completing the maintenance and subsequent test flts required I prepared to depart winston-salem for my return flight to chapel hill. Since the WX had remained the same and the distance was short, I elected to do the flight under VFR with radar TA's. After monitoring ATIS at winston- salem, I contacted the ground controller and advised him that I wished to proceed to chapel hill VFR at 3500 ft with traffic following. I was cleared to taxi to runway 21 at winston-salem and was shortly after given the following 'maintain VFR at or below 3500 ft, squawk (discrete code), contact greensboro on 124.35.' readback was correct and I reported ready for takeoff. I was cleared for takeoff, to fly runway heading. Approximately 1 1/2-2 mi out on runway heading I was cleared for a 'left turnout on course, contact greensboro.' I made the turn on course and attempted contact with greensboro. The controller did not answer repeated calls on his frequency. I could hear him talking with other pilots however. After a short time, I realized that I was closer to the edge of the greensboro arsa then I wished to be and made a very hard turn to the right to avoid the area. Immediately upon completing the turn the controller called me and asked for me to 'identify.' I was then advised that I was in the arsa without having established radio contact. I was not advised of any traffic conflict or other difficulties. I was somewhat surprised by this as I had assumed from the ground clearance and in-flight clearance from winston-salem that I was being coordinated with the controller at greensboro. During this entire incident, the DME which was tuned to the greensboro VORTAC never indicated less than 5.0 NM. As the controller used my correct call letters upon his initial call-up, it is evident to me that he had heard some or all of my previous attempts to contact him and also that he was fully aware of my presence and location all of the time. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he has been flying for the state for many yrs. He knows many of the controllers. They claim no real problem exists, just so busy cannot answer. But there are comments made which indicate differently. Analyst suggested use of hot line to bring issue to attention of FAA. Reporter will be speaking at operation rainchk soon and hopes to bring to attention at that time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GOV ACFT RETURNING FROM MAINT HAS PROBLEM WITH COM OF APCH CTL. ENTERS ARSA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: AFTER COMPLETING THE MAINT AND SUBSEQUENT TEST FLTS REQUIRED I PREPARED TO DEPART WINSTON-SALEM FOR MY RETURN FLT TO CHAPEL HILL. SINCE THE WX HAD REMAINED THE SAME AND THE DISTANCE WAS SHORT, I ELECTED TO DO THE FLT UNDER VFR WITH RADAR TA'S. AFTER MONITORING ATIS AT WINSTON- SALEM, I CONTACTED THE GND CTLR AND ADVISED HIM THAT I WISHED TO PROCEED TO CHAPEL HILL VFR AT 3500 FT WITH TFC FOLLOWING. I WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 21 AT WINSTON-SALEM AND WAS SHORTLY AFTER GIVEN THE FOLLOWING 'MAINTAIN VFR AT OR BELOW 3500 FT, SQUAWK (DISCRETE CODE), CONTACT GREENSBORO ON 124.35.' READBACK WAS CORRECT AND I RPTED READY FOR TKOF. I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF, TO FLY RWY HDG. APPROX 1 1/2-2 MI OUT ON RWY HDG I WAS CLRED FOR A 'L TURNOUT ON COURSE, CONTACT GREENSBORO.' I MADE THE TURN ON COURSE AND ATTEMPTED CONTACT WITH GREENSBORO. THE CTLR DID NOT ANSWER REPEATED CALLS ON HIS FREQ. I COULD HEAR HIM TALKING WITH OTHER PLTS HOWEVER. AFTER A SHORT TIME, I REALIZED THAT I WAS CLOSER TO THE EDGE OF THE GREENSBORO ARSA THEN I WISHED TO BE AND MADE A VERY HARD TURN TO THE R TO AVOID THE AREA. IMMEDIATELY UPON COMPLETING THE TURN THE CTLR CALLED ME AND ASKED FOR ME TO 'IDENT.' I WAS THEN ADVISED THAT I WAS IN THE ARSA WITHOUT HAVING ESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT. I WAS NOT ADVISED OF ANY TFC CONFLICT OR OTHER DIFFICULTIES. I WAS SOMEWHAT SURPRISED BY THIS AS I HAD ASSUMED FROM THE GND CLRNC AND INFLT CLRNC FROM WINSTON-SALEM THAT I WAS BEING COORDINATED WITH THE CTLR AT GREENSBORO. DURING THIS ENTIRE INCIDENT, THE DME WHICH WAS TUNED TO THE GREENSBORO VORTAC NEVER INDICATED LESS THAN 5.0 NM. AS THE CTLR USED MY CORRECT CALL LETTERS UPON HIS INITIAL CALL-UP, IT IS EVIDENT TO ME THAT HE HAD HEARD SOME OR ALL OF MY PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT HIM AND ALSO THAT HE WAS FULLY AWARE OF MY PRESENCE AND LOCATION ALL OF THE TIME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE HAS BEEN FLYING FOR THE STATE FOR MANY YRS. HE KNOWS MANY OF THE CTLRS. THEY CLAIM NO REAL PROBLEM EXISTS, JUST SO BUSY CANNOT ANSWER. BUT THERE ARE COMMENTS MADE WHICH INDICATE DIFFERENTLY. ANALYST SUGGESTED USE OF HOT LINE TO BRING ISSUE TO ATTN OF FAA. RPTR WILL BE SPEAKING AT OP RAINCHK SOON AND HOPES TO BRING TO ATTN AT THAT TIME.

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.