Narrative:

We were on a VFR flight eastbound through the new york class B airspace en route to frg, farmingdale, ny. We were receiving advisories from ny approach. I was PNF and handling radio communications. Ny approach terminated radar about 6 mi from the airport, while we were still in class B. We were instructed to squawk 1200, and change frequencys. I had been anticipating a handoff to the tower. We were descending from 3000 ft and flying at 180 KTS. By the time I contacted frg tower, we were inside the class D. As we cleared the runway, tower mentioned this and told us of some local landmarks that defined the class D. This problem arose because of the unexpected need to contact tower on our own, change transponder code, and perform pre-landing checks. The airspace is very tight in this area of ny, and it can be difficult to exit one airspace and then re-establish contact with the next in a matter of a couple of mi. It would be helpful if ATC would work out handoffs in this case, or advise the pilot ahead of time that a handoff will not be possible. In a fast airplane, it can be difficult to avoid airspace in a couple of mi, even if a 90 degree turn is made, as would have been the case with us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA31-350 FLC ENTERS FRG ATA CLASS D WITHOUT CALLING THEM FIRST. THEY WERE VFR AND WERE CLRED OFF OF N90 TRACON FREQ, RADAR SVC TERMINATED, AT 6 MI FROM FRG.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A VFR FLT EBOUND THROUGH THE NEW YORK CLASS B AIRSPACE ENRTE TO FRG, FARMINGDALE, NY. WE WERE RECEIVING ADVISORIES FROM NY APCH. I WAS PNF AND HANDLING RADIO COMS. NY APCH TERMINATED RADAR ABOUT 6 MI FROM THE ARPT, WHILE WE WERE STILL IN CLASS B. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO SQUAWK 1200, AND CHANGE FREQS. I HAD BEEN ANTICIPATING A HDOF TO THE TWR. WE WERE DSNDING FROM 3000 FT AND FLYING AT 180 KTS. BY THE TIME I CONTACTED FRG TWR, WE WERE INSIDE THE CLASS D. AS WE CLRED THE RWY, TWR MENTIONED THIS AND TOLD US OF SOME LCL LANDMARKS THAT DEFINED THE CLASS D. THIS PROB AROSE BECAUSE OF THE UNEXPECTED NEED TO CONTACT TWR ON OUR OWN, CHANGE XPONDER CODE, AND PERFORM PRE-LNDG CHKS. THE AIRSPACE IS VERY TIGHT IN THIS AREA OF NY, AND IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO EXIT ONE AIRSPACE AND THEN RE-ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH THE NEXT IN A MATTER OF A COUPLE OF MI. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF ATC WOULD WORK OUT HDOFS IN THIS CASE, OR ADVISE THE PLT AHEAD OF TIME THAT A HDOF WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE. IN A FAST AIRPLANE, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO AVOID AIRSPACE IN A COUPLE OF MI, EVEN IF A 90 DEG TURN IS MADE, AS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE CASE WITH US.

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.