Narrative:

Departed VFR from south bimini (mybs) and climbed VFR wbound towards fll. No phone call made on the ground at the pay phone to activate a DVFR because the phone was out of order. I called ZMA on 134.05 to activate my flight plan and get a code for advisories. They told me to 'stand by and I will get right back to ya.' second call was with no answer. Third call had no answer. So I called FBO in fll and they called customs to notify of my arrival, then radioed fll approach control and they gave me a code and worked me in. I was instructed to call ZMA after landing. I was told if center is too busy just hold until they can get back to me and it was not their problem. Single engine failure over the gulfstream can be a problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INST RATED PVT PLT USED A NONSTANDARD PROC IN OBTAINING A DVFR CLRNC BY GOING THROUGH AN FBO TO CALL APCH CTL WHO IN TURN CONTACTED RPTR WITH THE CLRNC.

Narrative: DEPARTED VFR FROM SOUTH BIMINI (MYBS) AND CLBED VFR WBOUND TOWARDS FLL. NO PHONE CALL MADE ON THE GND AT THE PAY PHONE TO ACTIVATE A DVFR BECAUSE THE PHONE WAS OUT OF ORDER. I CALLED ZMA ON 134.05 TO ACTIVATE MY FLT PLAN AND GET A CODE FOR ADVISORIES. THEY TOLD ME TO 'STAND BY AND I WILL GET RIGHT BACK TO YA.' SECOND CALL WAS WITH NO ANSWER. THIRD CALL HAD NO ANSWER. SO I CALLED FBO IN FLL AND THEY CALLED CUSTOMS TO NOTIFY OF MY ARR, THEN RADIOED FLL APCH CTL AND THEY GAVE ME A CODE AND WORKED ME IN. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL ZMA AFTER LNDG. I WAS TOLD IF CTR IS TOO BUSY JUST HOLD UNTIL THEY CAN GET BACK TO ME AND IT WAS NOT THEIR PROB. SINGLE ENG FAILURE OVER THE GULFSTREAM CAN BE A PROB.

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.