Narrative:

On arrival to laf. Center here has radar coverage to only 4000 ft, so they perpetually keep you high. Tower has no radar (hence, daily occurrences of near midair collision and traffic conflicts in a high density training environment). We were 10 NM from the airport (laf) at 6000 ft and then cleared for visual when we called the field. We had repeatedly requested lower and did not cancel IFR flight plan because there was a thunderstorm south of the field and very hazy day. My copilot worked the radios and we were cleared to 3000 ft with traffic issued. Cleared for visual with recommendation to maintain 3000 ft till we had the traffic. We called traffic in sight. I thought we were handed to tower. We easily maintained separation from the traffic and landed uneventfully. On taxi in, ground said we upset center by switching to tower early while they (center) were trying to alert us to traffic. I called center supervisor at kankakee. She said the controller was just worried about us and there was no problem. Many things here: 1) non radar environment at busy airport with multiple types of aircraft operations, 2) center's policy of keeping aircraft high, 3) frequency congestion, and 4) WX -- the thunderstorm hit the field as we were hangaring the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE20 FLC DSND FROM ZAU ASSIGNED ALT ENRTE TO LAF CONCERNED ABOUT POS FROM ARPT, TFC AND APCHING TSTM.

Narrative: ON ARR TO LAF. CTR HERE HAS RADAR COVERAGE TO ONLY 4000 FT, SO THEY PERPETUALLY KEEP YOU HIGH. TWR HAS NO RADAR (HENCE, DAILY OCCURRENCES OF NMAC AND TFC CONFLICTS IN A HIGH DENSITY TRAINING ENVIRONMENT). WE WERE 10 NM FROM THE ARPT (LAF) AT 6000 FT AND THEN CLRED FOR VISUAL WHEN WE CALLED THE FIELD. WE HAD REPEATEDLY REQUESTED LOWER AND DID NOT CANCEL IFR FLT PLAN BECAUSE THERE WAS A TSTM S OF THE FIELD AND VERY HAZY DAY. MY COPLT WORKED THE RADIOS AND WE WERE CLRED TO 3000 FT WITH TFC ISSUED. CLRED FOR VISUAL WITH RECOMMENDATION TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT TILL WE HAD THE TFC. WE CALLED TFC IN SIGHT. I THOUGHT WE WERE HANDED TO TWR. WE EASILY MAINTAINED SEPARATION FROM THE TFC AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. ON TAXI IN, GND SAID WE UPSET CTR BY SWITCHING TO TWR EARLY WHILE THEY (CTR) WERE TRYING TO ALERT US TO TFC. I CALLED CTR SUPVR AT KANKAKEE. SHE SAID THE CTLR WAS JUST WORRIED ABOUT US AND THERE WAS NO PROB. MANY THINGS HERE: 1) NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT AT BUSY ARPT WITH MULTIPLE TYPES OF ACFT OPS, 2) CTR'S POLICY OF KEEPING ACFT HIGH, 3) FREQ CONGESTION, AND 4) WX -- THE TSTM HIT THE FIELD AS WE WERE HANGARING THE ACFT.

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.