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Ron Natalie wrote:


They can tell you to stop altitude squawk if they want. They have no business to
tell you to "go VFR"

When was the last time you had a controller ask you to turn off your altimeter? ;-)

I didn't repeat that error. I did have them tell me to stop altitude squawk. After three
weeks on the ground at VKX due to 9/11 hysteria, they let us flush out of there. We
got checked over by the local PG County cops and then given special void time clearances
out of there. As I broke ground I realized something was seriously wrong (static system
plugged). Fortunately, it was severe clear. I called ATC and asked what the mode C
was reporting (just for jollies), they said 100 feet. Told them that was in error but I really
didn't know where I was but figured about 2000'. After they verified I was in no danger
of crashing, they just told me stop altitude squawk and procede on course.

The only fun was figuring out how to tell when I was below 87 knots so I could drop the
gear (did a quick calculation with the GPS groundspeed and the AWOS winds which were
fortunately 10 knots right down the runway).