Narrative:

VFR flight from oakland airport to salinas airport. I departed oakland in a 116 hp champion citabria which cruises at less than 100 KTS and has a slow climb rate. My planned route was a course of 100-110 degrees to calaveras reservoir then ssw over the san jose class C at 4500 ft then descend to salinas. At oakland I gave ATC my destination and planned altitude and requested VFR. I experienced difficulty with my communication -- much static making hearing difficult. ATC also complained of poor transmission quality. I was initially vectored 090 degrees and told to contact bay approach which I did. Because of the communication difficulties and desire to make the flight VFR, I determined to leave ATC as soon as possible. After exiting oakland class C and sfo class B approximately 5 NM east of hayward airport, I requested to squawk 1200 and leave the frequency. This was denied. Over the next 20 or so mins I was given additional vectors and told to switch frequencys to another bay approach sector at least once, and maybe twice. During this time I made at least 3 additional requests to squawk 1200 and leave the frequency, and each time was denied. I was vectored well off my planned route including flying over the southern end of san jose class C, necessitating a climb to 7500 ft and a subsequent rapid descent to salinas. At no time after the initial vector was I ever in any class a, C, or D airspace. I was finally released from ATC well south and west of the san jose class C. I would like to understand why bay approach refused at least 4 requests to fly VFR and squawk 1200 on a routing VFR flight in class east airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEP RADAR CTLR WOULD NOT ALLOW PLT TO LEAVE CTL FREQ WHEN HE EXITED SFO CLASS B.

Narrative: VFR FLT FROM OAKLAND ARPT TO SALINAS ARPT. I DEPARTED OAKLAND IN A 116 HP CHAMPION CITABRIA WHICH CRUISES AT LESS THAN 100 KTS AND HAS A SLOW CLB RATE. MY PLANNED RTE WAS A COURSE OF 100-110 DEGS TO CALAVERAS RESERVOIR THEN SSW OVER THE SAN JOSE CLASS C AT 4500 FT THEN DSND TO SALINAS. AT OAKLAND I GAVE ATC MY DEST AND PLANNED ALT AND REQUESTED VFR. I EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY WITH MY COM -- MUCH STATIC MAKING HEARING DIFFICULT. ATC ALSO COMPLAINED OF POOR XMISSION QUALITY. I WAS INITIALLY VECTORED 090 DEGS AND TOLD TO CONTACT BAY APCH WHICH I DID. BECAUSE OF THE COM DIFFICULTIES AND DESIRE TO MAKE THE FLT VFR, I DETERMINED TO LEAVE ATC AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AFTER EXITING OAKLAND CLASS C AND SFO CLASS B APPROX 5 NM E OF HAYWARD ARPT, I REQUESTED TO SQUAWK 1200 AND LEAVE THE FREQ. THIS WAS DENIED. OVER THE NEXT 20 OR SO MINS I WAS GIVEN ADDITIONAL VECTORS AND TOLD TO SWITCH FREQS TO ANOTHER BAY APCH SECTOR AT LEAST ONCE, AND MAYBE TWICE. DURING THIS TIME I MADE AT LEAST 3 ADDITIONAL REQUESTS TO SQUAWK 1200 AND LEAVE THE FREQ, AND EACH TIME WAS DENIED. I WAS VECTORED WELL OFF MY PLANNED RTE INCLUDING FLYING OVER THE SOUTHERN END OF SAN JOSE CLASS C, NECESSITATING A CLB TO 7500 FT AND A SUBSEQUENT RAPID DSCNT TO SALINAS. AT NO TIME AFTER THE INITIAL VECTOR WAS I EVER IN ANY CLASS A, C, OR D AIRSPACE. I WAS FINALLY RELEASED FROM ATC WELL S AND W OF THE SAN JOSE CLASS C. I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHY BAY APCH REFUSED AT LEAST 4 REQUESTS TO FLY VFR AND SQUAWK 1200 ON A ROUTING VFR FLT IN CLASS E AIRSPACE.

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.