Narrative:

I departed sch, a class D airport located under the outer ring of albany class C. (Schenectady county airport, ny) VFR eastbound on a cross country trip. I was busy scanning for traffic, asking for a frequency from sch after leaving their space, and subsequently switching to albany ny approach control. I may have inadvertently climbed to greater than 2000 ft MSL prior to leaving a section of the outer ring that went from 2000 ft to 4300 ft in albany airspace. Contributing factors were a delayed frequency change being issued by schenectady which I had to ask for. If I had gotten it earlier, I could have raised albany approach on the radio in a timely fashion, precluding any possible incursion. At the time this happened, I realized the possible conflict, and then decided against contacting albany approach and bringing any ATC attention to bear on the situation. Also contributing was a lack of recent experience in class D operations contained in the outer ring of class C airspace. This flight was a training flight that was in part, designed to regain proficiency in these type operations. I also firmly believe that it would be much safer for these type class D airports, be required to have 'bright' radar capability, coupled with a procedural mandate for cooperating ATC facilities, that requires timely vectors and handoffs between class D and C airspace. This would reduce pilot workload and aid in improved safety for all involved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A C172 INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED CLASS C AIRSPACE DURING CLBOUT FROM AN UNDERLYING ARPT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED SCH, A CLASS D ARPT LOCATED UNDER THE OUTER RING OF ALBANY CLASS C. (SCHENECTADY COUNTY ARPT, NY) VFR EBOUND ON A XCOUNTRY TRIP. I WAS BUSY SCANNING FOR TFC, ASKING FOR A FREQ FROM SCH AFTER LEAVING THEIR SPACE, AND SUBSEQUENTLY SWITCHING TO ALBANY NY APCH CTL. I MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY CLBED TO GREATER THAN 2000 FT MSL PRIOR TO LEAVING A SECTION OF THE OUTER RING THAT WENT FROM 2000 FT TO 4300 FT IN ALBANY AIRSPACE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE A DELAYED FREQ CHANGE BEING ISSUED BY SCHENECTADY WHICH I HAD TO ASK FOR. IF I HAD GOTTEN IT EARLIER, I COULD HAVE RAISED ALBANY APCH ON THE RADIO IN A TIMELY FASHION, PRECLUDING ANY POSSIBLE INCURSION. AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED, I REALIZED THE POSSIBLE CONFLICT, AND THEN DECIDED AGAINST CONTACTING ALBANY APCH AND BRINGING ANY ATC ATTN TO BEAR ON THE SIT. ALSO CONTRIBUTING WAS A LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN CLASS D OPS CONTAINED IN THE OUTER RING OF CLASS C AIRSPACE. THIS FLT WAS A TRAINING FLT THAT WAS IN PART, DESIGNED TO REGAIN PROFICIENCY IN THESE TYPE OPS. I ALSO FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE MUCH SAFER FOR THESE TYPE CLASS D ARPTS, BE REQUIRED TO HAVE 'BRIGHT' RADAR CAPABILITY, COUPLED WITH A PROCEDURAL MANDATE FOR COOPERATING ATC FACILITIES, THAT REQUIRES TIMELY VECTORS AND HDOFS BTWN CLASS D AND C AIRSPACE. THIS WOULD REDUCE PLT WORKLOAD AND AID IN IMPROVED SAFETY FOR ALL INVOLVED.

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.