Narrative:

Took off from 4d0 runway 9 en route to lan (about 6 mi away). Called lan approach prior to famli to establish contact prior to entering class 'C' as required. I planned to turn north to remain outside C if I got no response. Lan ATC replied with 'small aircraft remain outside class C airspace and squawk XXXX.' I was not expecting to be told to stay out, by the time I realized what they said, I was already past famli and into class C so I turned north. The edge of class C is barely far enough from 4d0 to allow a climb to a safe altitude for turning, if you plan to stay in the pattern (especially in a high performance airplane) and out of class C, you have to turn early. I think that the lan ATC often ignores minor entries into class C if the aircraft starts turning away. Factors include proximity of airport to class C and my expectation of entering class C to go to lan, I was not expecting ATC to tell me to remain clear. Finally in what I feel was petty retaliation by ATC, they refused my request for runway 24 which was more aligned with wind conditions and directed me to go all the way around to runway 28L and land with maximum crosswind, which I had to accept out of fear of what they could do to me for entering class C.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A C182 FAILED TO STAY CLR OF CLASS C AIRSPACE AS DIRECTED BY ATC AFTER CONTACTING TRACON FOR PERMISSION TO ENTER FOR LNDG.

Narrative: TOOK OFF FROM 4D0 RWY 9 ENRTE TO LAN (ABOUT 6 MI AWAY). CALLED LAN APCH PRIOR TO FAMLI TO ESTABLISH CONTACT PRIOR TO ENTERING CLASS 'C' AS REQUIRED. I PLANNED TO TURN N TO REMAIN OUTSIDE C IF I GOT NO RESPONSE. LAN ATC REPLIED WITH 'SMA REMAIN OUTSIDE CLASS C AIRSPACE AND SQUAWK XXXX.' I WAS NOT EXPECTING TO BE TOLD TO STAY OUT, BY THE TIME I REALIZED WHAT THEY SAID, I WAS ALREADY PAST FAMLI AND INTO CLASS C SO I TURNED N. THE EDGE OF CLASS C IS BARELY FAR ENOUGH FROM 4D0 TO ALLOW A CLB TO A SAFE ALT FOR TURNING, IF YOU PLAN TO STAY IN THE PATTERN (ESPECIALLY IN A HIGH PERFORMANCE AIRPLANE) AND OUT OF CLASS C, YOU HAVE TO TURN EARLY. I THINK THAT THE LAN ATC OFTEN IGNORES MINOR ENTRIES INTO CLASS C IF THE ACFT STARTS TURNING AWAY. FACTORS INCLUDE PROX OF ARPT TO CLASS C AND MY EXPECTATION OF ENTERING CLASS C TO GO TO LAN, I WAS NOT EXPECTING ATC TO TELL ME TO REMAIN CLR. FINALLY IN WHAT I FEEL WAS PETTY RETALIATION BY ATC, THEY REFUSED MY REQUEST FOR RWY 24 WHICH WAS MORE ALIGNED WITH WIND CONDITIONS AND DIRECTED ME TO GO ALL THE WAY AROUND TO RWY 28L AND LAND WITH MAX XWIND, WHICH I HAD TO ACCEPT OUT OF FEAR OF WHAT THEY COULD DO TO ME FOR ENTERING CLASS C.

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.