Narrative:

We received an IFR clearance over the phone from atl approach control for our flight. We had a clearance void time of XA35Z. We departed well within limits at XA20Z. We were given radar vectors and headings to lzu. About 4 mi from the airport; approach control gave us a TA of an aircraft 1000 ft below us heading our direction; type of aircraft unknown. Approach vectored us to a downwind position and asked us to call the field. We had the field in sight and the traffic on TCAS; which was well behind us by now. Approach said 'traffic no factor; cleared for the visual approach runway 7; contact the tower.' when we contacted the tower for the visual approach he said; 'I know you were talking to another controller; but you guys need to contact me before you enter my airspace.' I told him we contacted him as soon as approach control handed us off to him. He then said; 'I know it puts you guys in a tough position when talking to another controller; but you still need to contact me.' I was so stunned I didn't know what to say. I had never experienced this on an IFR flight plan. I just said; 'hope we didn't cause any trouble for you today.' he replied 'no; have a good day.' the first officer and I continue to research the regulations under an IFR flight plan to see if in fact we did anything wrong. I suspect he thought we were just VFR traffic and approach control failed to tell him we were inbound. We continue to research this for any corrective action needed on our part.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR C650 WITH A80 AT 4000 FT ON VECTORS FOR VISUAL APCH IS QUESTIONED BY LZU LCL CTLR AS TO POSSIBLE UNAUTHORIZED CLASS D ENTRY.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC OVER THE PHONE FROM ATL APCH CTL FOR OUR FLT. WE HAD A CLRNC VOID TIME OF XA35Z. WE DEPARTED WELL WITHIN LIMITS AT XA20Z. WE WERE GIVEN RADAR VECTORS AND HDGS TO LZU. ABOUT 4 MI FROM THE ARPT; APCH CTL GAVE US A TA OF AN ACFT 1000 FT BELOW US HDG OUR DIRECTION; TYPE OF ACFT UNKNOWN. APCH VECTORED US TO A DOWNWIND POS AND ASKED US TO CALL THE FIELD. WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND THE TFC ON TCAS; WHICH WAS WELL BEHIND US BY NOW. APCH SAID 'TFC NO FACTOR; CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH RWY 7; CONTACT THE TWR.' WHEN WE CONTACTED THE TWR FOR THE VISUAL APCH HE SAID; 'I KNOW YOU WERE TALKING TO ANOTHER CTLR; BUT YOU GUYS NEED TO CONTACT ME BEFORE YOU ENTER MY AIRSPACE.' I TOLD HIM WE CONTACTED HIM AS SOON AS APCH CTL HANDED US OFF TO HIM. HE THEN SAID; 'I KNOW IT PUTS YOU GUYS IN A TOUGH POS WHEN TALKING TO ANOTHER CTLR; BUT YOU STILL NEED TO CONTACT ME.' I WAS SO STUNNED I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. I JUST SAID; 'HOPE WE DIDN'T CAUSE ANY TROUBLE FOR YOU TODAY.' HE REPLIED 'NO; HAVE A GOOD DAY.' THE FO AND I CONTINUE TO RESEARCH THE REGS UNDER AN IFR FLT PLAN TO SEE IF IN FACT WE DID ANYTHING WRONG. I SUSPECT HE THOUGHT WE WERE JUST VFR TFC AND APCH CTL FAILED TO TELL HIM WE WERE INBOUND. WE CONTINUE TO RESEARCH THIS FOR ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION NEEDED ON OUR PART.

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.