Thread: dropped in D
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Old August 6th 03, 03:46 AM
Nathan Young
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(Arden Prinz) wrote in message . com...
I recently made a flight from Sumter, SC (SMS) to Columbia Metro
(CAE). Just after takeoff from Sumter, I contacted Shaw AFB approach,
told the controller that I was going to Columbia Metro, and got flight
following. Between Shaw class C airspace and Columbia class C
airspace there is Mc Entire ANGS class D airspace. As I approached Mc
Entire airspace, I figured that I was OK to enter because I had
established two-way communications with Shaw approach. After I got in
the middle of Mc Entire class D airspace, Shaw approach gave me "radar
services terminated, squawk VFR, for further flight following suggest
you contact Columbia approach on 133.4". Hmmmm.... Doesn't this mean
that the instant after he terminated me, that I was not in two-way
communication with the ATC facility (and unintentionally in violation
of 91.129(c)(1))? If so, what action should I have taken? Honestly,
I would have expected a handoff to either the Mc Entire tower
controller or to the Columbia approach controller, as opposed to a
"...suggest you contact...".


Interesting thread. I am curious to see what others think.

I have always assumed that VFR flight following does not provide
transition services to facilities that aren't on their field. Hence,
I would have called McEntire's Class D.

I run into this getting flight following around the OHare Bravo, and
crossing through DuPage's Class D. I always suggest to the approach
controller that I get a freq change to call DuPage tower, and then
give him/her a call on the other side. It works out well as Dupage is
roughly the boundary between OHare's SW approach (133.50) and North
approach (120.55). So it is like a handoff, but with a few minutes
talking to DuPage tower between approach controllers.

-Nathan