Narrative:

The situation arose when one tower controller was replaced by another. The second; relieving controller was apparently unaware of the fact that our helicopter had been cleared to operate in the class C airspace by the previous controller. 2 unsuccessful attempts were made to contact the tower to report as per the earlier clearance. The relieving controller; when receiving my report of turning north along the shoreline; responded with 'aircraft calling remain clear of my airspace and call back in 5 mins.' 5 mins later it again took 3 attempts to receive a response to 'lauderdale tower; aircraft X checking back in after 5 mins as requested.' although there were numerous simultaneous xmissions on the frequency; I thought I heard 'helicopter calling; land at your own risk at air carrier ramp; remain east of runway 13 at all times.' I acknowledged with 'aircraft X landing at air carrier ramp east of runway 13 at all times.' the next call I received from the tower was 'helicopter 1/2 mi north at 400 ft; what is your call sign?' I replied 'aircraft X;' and was told 'you are not cleared to be in this airspace; and land at your own risk; remain east of runway 13.' contributing factors were an emergency landing on the main runway requiring closure a few mins prior to my flight; a change of controllers in a high demand situation. Human performance considerations were one controller not properly briefing his relieving controller and/or the relieving controller's lack of understanding such briefing and the relieving controller not listening to my transmission but rather assuming that I was a 'new' aircraft wishing to enter the class C airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI; PREVIOUSLY CLRED INTO FLL CLASS C; IS QUESTIONED BY ANOTHER CTLR REGARDING AIRSPACE ENTRY.

Narrative: THE SIT AROSE WHEN ONE TWR CTLR WAS REPLACED BY ANOTHER. THE SECOND; RELIEVING CTLR WAS APPARENTLY UNAWARE OF THE FACT THAT OUR HELI HAD BEEN CLRED TO OPERATE IN THE CLASS C AIRSPACE BY THE PREVIOUS CTLR. 2 UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO CONTACT THE TWR TO RPT AS PER THE EARLIER CLRNC. THE RELIEVING CTLR; WHEN RECEIVING MY RPT OF TURNING N ALONG THE SHORELINE; RESPONDED WITH 'ACFT CALLING REMAIN CLR OF MY AIRSPACE AND CALL BACK IN 5 MINS.' 5 MINS LATER IT AGAIN TOOK 3 ATTEMPTS TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE TO 'LAUDERDALE TWR; ACFT X CHKING BACK IN AFTER 5 MINS AS REQUESTED.' ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NUMEROUS SIMULTANEOUS XMISSIONS ON THE FREQ; I THOUGHT I HEARD 'HELI CALLING; LAND AT YOUR OWN RISK AT ACR RAMP; REMAIN E OF RWY 13 AT ALL TIMES.' I ACKNOWLEDGED WITH 'ACFT X LNDG AT ACR RAMP E OF RWY 13 AT ALL TIMES.' THE NEXT CALL I RECEIVED FROM THE TWR WAS 'HELI 1/2 MI N AT 400 FT; WHAT IS YOUR CALL SIGN?' I REPLIED 'ACFT X;' AND WAS TOLD 'YOU ARE NOT CLRED TO BE IN THIS AIRSPACE; AND LAND AT YOUR OWN RISK; REMAIN E OF RWY 13.' CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE AN EMER LNDG ON THE MAIN RWY REQUIRING CLOSURE A FEW MINS PRIOR TO MY FLT; A CHANGE OF CTLRS IN A HIGH DEMAND SIT. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS WERE ONE CTLR NOT PROPERLY BRIEFING HIS RELIEVING CTLR AND/OR THE RELIEVING CTLR'S LACK OF UNDERSTANDING SUCH BRIEFING AND THE RELIEVING CTLR NOT LISTENING TO MY XMISSION BUT RATHER ASSUMING THAT I WAS A 'NEW' ACFT WISHING TO ENTER THE CLASS C AIRSPACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.