Narrative:

I filed VFR flight plan with hnl FSS by phone. I usually walk in, but on this occasion their bldg was barricaded and I had to call. I filed direct to lanai, 'island reporting' (frequent check points called in) with a delay at lanai, then a return flight counter clockwise around lanai, then direct back to hnl. I was given a transponder code (by clearance, not FSS) to lanai and FSS told me to call on 135.4 for return code. The flight to lanai was uneventful except that I passed 2 other aircraft (with departure control assistance) which was unusual. The first one was soon after takeoff, the other several mins later leaving lanai at my proposed time of XA00 I activated flight plan with FSS on 122.2 and attempted to call on 135.4 for new transponder code, but couldn't hear them. I continued to call (with transponder code 1200), but no luck so I called FSS again and asked them to relay code, which they did shortly, also advising me that I should not have taken off without a code. Soon after I was intercepted by F16 flying on my left and turning in front of me. I maneuvered to avoid his turbulence. Meanwhile, I continued under control and F16 stayed nearby making big circles as he was faster. I proceeded routinely and landed normally. I think this all could have been avoided if a face to face briefing (as I usually get) could have occurred. I see no good reason for the FSS being barricaded for walk-INS, which would have provided a look at NOTAMS and WX charts/imagery, both lacking on phone briefing. I called FSS a few days later and asked what their procedures were and was told that FSS would provide trans code on their 800 phone number. This was not the case, or was not told me on my flight. While understanding the need for air security, it's not clear how having a transponder code would help. Anyone can get one by phone, or a true criminal would fly low and not use a transponder. Final thought: is this another FAA attempt to curtail GA? Part 135 operations were flying before, us, except for IFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PRIVATE PLT FAILED TO OBTAIN XPONDER CODE PRIOR TO VFR FLT PLAN CROSS COUNTRY RETURNED FLT RESULTING IN MIL FIGHTER ACFT MONITORING HIS RETURN FLT TO RPTR'S PROPOSED DEST.

Narrative: I FILED VFR FLT PLAN WITH HNL FSS BY PHONE. I USUALLY WALK IN, BUT ON THIS OCCASION THEIR BLDG WAS BARRICADED AND I HAD TO CALL. I FILED DIRECT TO LANAI, 'ISLAND RPTING' (FREQUENT CHK POINTS CALLED IN) WITH A DELAY AT LANAI, THEN A RETURN FLT COUNTER CLOCKWISE AROUND LANAI, THEN DIRECT BACK TO HNL. I WAS GIVEN A TRANSPONDER CODE (BY CLRNC, NOT FSS) TO LANAI AND FSS TOLD ME TO CALL ON 135.4 FOR RETURN CODE. THE FLT TO LANAI WAS UNEVENTFUL EXCEPT THAT I PASSED 2 OTHER ACFT (WITH DEP CTL ASSISTANCE) WHICH WAS UNUSUAL. THE FIRST ONE WAS SOON AFTER TAKEOFF, THE OTHER SEVERAL MINS LATER LEAVING LANAI AT MY PROPOSED TIME OF XA00 I ACTIVATED FLT PLAN WITH FSS ON 122.2 AND ATTEMPTED TO CALL ON 135.4 FOR NEW XPONDER CODE, BUT COULDN'T HEAR THEM. I CONTINUED TO CALL (WITH XPONDER CODE 1200), BUT NO LUCK SO I CALLED FSS AGAIN AND ASKED THEM TO RELAY CODE, WHICH THEY DID SHORTLY, ALSO ADVISING ME THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN OFF WITHOUT A CODE. SOON AFTER I WAS INTERCEPTED BY F16 FLYING ON MY L AND TURNING IN FRONT OF ME. I MANEUVERED TO AVOID HIS TURB. MEANWHILE, I CONTINUED UNDER CTL AND F16 STAYED NEARBY MAKING BIG CIRCLES AS HE WAS FASTER. I PROCEEDED ROUTINELY AND LANDED NORMALLY. I THINK THIS ALL COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF A FACE TO FACE BRIEFING (AS I USUALLY GET) COULD HAVE OCCURRED. I SEE NO GOOD REASON FOR THE FSS BEING BARRICADED FOR WALK-INS, WHICH WOULD HAVE PROVIDED A LOOK AT NOTAMS AND WX CHARTS/IMAGERY, BOTH LACKING ON PHONE BRIEFING. I CALLED FSS A FEW DAYS LATER AND ASKED WHAT THEIR PROCEDURES WERE AND WAS TOLD THAT FSS WOULD PROVIDE TRANS CODE ON THEIR 800 PHONE NUMBER. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE, OR WAS NOT TOLD ME ON MY FLT. WHILE UNDERSTANDING THE NEED FOR AIR SECURITY, IT'S NOT CLR HOW HAVING A XPONDER CODE WOULD HELP. ANYONE CAN GET ONE BY PHONE, OR A TRUE CRIMINAL WOULD FLY LOW AND NOT USE A XPONDER. FINAL THOUGHT: IS THIS ANOTHER FAA ATTEMPT TO CURTAIL GA? PART 135 OPS WERE FLYING BEFORE, US, EXCEPT FOR IFR.

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.