Narrative:

I was given the following IFR clearance from vny direct sna. Glendale 7 departure, V186, V363, V8, sli (seal beach) maintain 4000 ft, expect 5000 ft 5 mins after departure, squawk XXXX, frequency 124.6. I proceeded down V186 and was told to descend from 5000 ft direct 4000 ft prior to V363. I turned on to V363 at 4000 ft. This was a little unusual because ATC normally vectors you to V363 to cut off the corner so I asked for a radio check shortly after joining V363. The controller at first said he was on the land line and asked for a repeat. I again asked for a radio check and got a 'loud and clear.' I turned on to V8 (once again unusual) so I queried the controller asking if he wanted me to fly the full approach all the way to sli. After a long pause he asked me if I was VFR or IFR to which I replied IFR. He asked me to identify, which I did, and he quickly handed me over to the 'tustin' sector (121.3). The controller there told me he had been 'spinning jets wondering what I was going to do next.' I told him I was going to fly out to sli and do the approach as published like I'm supposed to. He told me I didn't need to go all the way out to sli and vectored me for final into sna after some vectoring for traffic. I had 2 other pilots, 1 instrument rated, with me in plane and they confirm I never lost a radio call.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT ON IFR FLT PLAN FROM VNY TO SNA RECEIVED UNUSUAL HANDLING BY ATC.

Narrative: I WAS GIVEN THE FOLLOWING IFR CLRNC FROM VNY DIRECT SNA. GLENDALE 7 DEP, V186, V363, V8, SLI (SEAL BEACH) MAINTAIN 4000 FT, EXPECT 5000 FT 5 MINS AFTER DEP, SQUAWK XXXX, FREQ 124.6. I PROCEEDED DOWN V186 AND WAS TOLD TO DSND FROM 5000 FT DIRECT 4000 FT PRIOR TO V363. I TURNED ON TO V363 AT 4000 FT. THIS WAS A LITTLE UNUSUAL BECAUSE ATC NORMALLY VECTORS YOU TO V363 TO CUT OFF THE CORNER SO I ASKED FOR A RADIO CHK SHORTLY AFTER JOINING V363. THE CTLR AT FIRST SAID HE WAS ON THE LAND LINE AND ASKED FOR A REPEAT. I AGAIN ASKED FOR A RADIO CHK AND GOT A 'LOUD AND CLR.' I TURNED ON TO V8 (ONCE AGAIN UNUSUAL) SO I QUERIED THE CTLR ASKING IF HE WANTED ME TO FLY THE FULL APCH ALL THE WAY TO SLI. AFTER A LONG PAUSE HE ASKED ME IF I WAS VFR OR IFR TO WHICH I REPLIED IFR. HE ASKED ME TO IDENT, WHICH I DID, AND HE QUICKLY HANDED ME OVER TO THE 'TUSTIN' SECTOR (121.3). THE CTLR THERE TOLD ME HE HAD BEEN 'SPINNING JETS WONDERING WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO NEXT.' I TOLD HIM I WAS GOING TO FLY OUT TO SLI AND DO THE APCH AS PUBLISHED LIKE I'M SUPPOSED TO. HE TOLD ME I DIDN'T NEED TO GO ALL THE WAY OUT TO SLI AND VECTORED ME FOR FINAL INTO SNA AFTER SOME VECTORING FOR TFC. I HAD 2 OTHER PLTS, 1 INST RATED, WITH ME IN PLANE AND THEY CONFIRM I NEVER LOST A RADIO CALL.

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.