F-18 military pilot has difficulty in obtaining ZKC controller to understand pilot clearance request...

Attributes
ACN	568157
Time
Date	200212
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : fam.vortac
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Hornet (F-18)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	568157
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

I was cruising at FL280, southwest of fam VORTAC, en route to stl. At a point approximately 25 NM southwest of fam, I requested a right turn direct to the cape girardeau airport, and requested to descend below class a airspace in order to cancel IFR and proceed to cape girardeau VFR to work their pattern and then to stl VFR in accordance with my company's LOA with ZKC for the operation of high performance, jet aircraft. The ZKC controller approved my request and vectored me in a right turn direct to the cape girardeau airport, and gave me a descent to FL240. I vacated and reported vacating FL280 for FL240. At that point, the controller appeared to get confused and cleared me to cape girardeau via fam and stl, which was not possible or practicable. After repeating my request to proceed direct to cape girardeau and descend below class a airspace to cancel IFR, she became confused again and cleared me to cape girardeau visual stl. I again repeated my request to descend below class a and cancel my IFR flight plan to stl and proceed VFR. The controller then appeared to understand my request and cleared to 17000 ft MSL and to report canceling. I reported vacating FL240 and reported below FL180, and cancelled my IFR flight plan. I proceeded to cape girardeau, and after 2 touch-and-go practice lndgs, proceeded to stl without incident, complying with local course rules.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: F-18 MIL PLT HAS DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING ZKC CTLR TO UNDERSTAND PLT CLRNC REQUEST.

Narrative: I WAS CRUISING AT FL280, SW OF FAM VORTAC, ENRTE TO STL. AT A POINT APPROX 25 NM SW OF FAM, I REQUESTED A R TURN DIRECT TO THE CAPE GIRARDEAU ARPT, AND REQUESTED TO DSND BELOW CLASS A AIRSPACE IN ORDER TO CANCEL IFR AND PROCEED TO CAPE GIRARDEAU VFR TO WORK THEIR PATTERN AND THEN TO STL VFR IN ACCORDANCE WITH MY COMPANY'S LOA WITH ZKC FOR THE OP OF HIGH PERFORMANCE, JET ACFT. THE ZKC CTLR APPROVED MY REQUEST AND VECTORED ME IN A R TURN DIRECT TO THE CAPE GIRARDEAU ARPT, AND GAVE ME A DSCNT TO FL240. I VACATED AND RPTED VACATING FL280 FOR FL240. AT THAT POINT, THE CTLR APPEARED TO GET CONFUSED AND CLRED ME TO CAPE GIRARDEAU VIA FAM AND STL, WHICH WAS NOT POSSIBLE OR PRACTICABLE. AFTER REPEATING MY REQUEST TO PROCEED DIRECT TO CAPE GIRARDEAU AND DSND BELOW CLASS A AIRSPACE TO CANCEL IFR, SHE BECAME CONFUSED AGAIN AND CLRED ME TO CAPE GIRARDEAU VISUAL STL. I AGAIN REPEATED MY REQUEST TO DSND BELOW CLASS A AND CANCEL MY IFR FLT PLAN TO STL AND PROCEED VFR. THE CTLR THEN APPEARED TO UNDERSTAND MY REQUEST AND CLRED TO 17000 FT MSL AND TO RPT CANCELING. I RPTED VACATING FL240 AND RPTED BELOW FL180, AND CANCELLED MY IFR FLT PLAN. I PROCEEDED TO CAPE GIRARDEAU, AND AFTER 2 TOUCH-AND-GO PRACTICE LNDGS, PROCEEDED TO STL WITHOUT INCIDENT, COMPLYING WITH LCL COURSE RULES.

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.