Late clearance as you steam towards controlled airspace...
Hello,
Just wanted to ask something.
On the weekend I was heading south west over Basingstoke, on a clearance from Farnborough to transit the temporary class D that they have for the Olympics. If I want to keep the same altitude as I continue, I will need clearance through one of Solent's temporary class D blocks.
The info published on the Olympics chart that came with the 2012 chart says that Farnborough would control the piece of Solent class D (during their operating hours) that I wanted to transit. Outside their operating hours it would revert to Solent Radar.
So I ask Farnborough if he can clear me through the Solent section too, he says negative if you want to transit Solent please call them. So ok, G-XY request change to Solent Radar on whatever..... am told to squawk 7000 and freecall enroute....
Call up Solent, and because I've not been handed over I'm steaming towards his airspace unannounced, so once he's ready I pass my full details and request for transit pronto. He gives me a squawk, then asks me to confirm altitude. At this point I'm not cleared and I'm 20secs from infringing his airspace, so I initiate a descent and in response to his request say "G-XY was 3,000ft now descending 2,400 feet to remain OCAS unless we're cleared?"
What I get back is a very stroppy "You WILL get clearance, I'm just verifying your position & altitude".
So....
What was I supposed to do? Not descend and assume clearance would be forthcoming? Just report my altitude and not tell him why I was descending? Turn back? This "you WILL get clearance" thing - how was I supposed to know he planned to clear me?
Brings me to a wider point regarding transits. Often enough, I've requested a transit in plenty of time, and I'm usually just told "Traffic service, squawk 1234, QNH 1021". Then I chug towards the boundary, with no indication from the controller as to whether he/she plans to clear me or not. Clearance is usually given at the last possible moment, but if it isn't going to be given then it'd be nice to know a little earlier so that there is time to climb/descend or so that the route-around isn't so convoluted.
Now I know the controller can't give me a firm answer until I'm there, but some sort of "should be ok, will let you know as you approach the boundary" would make things much easier.
And why no handover? Surely when passing from one adjoining block of CAS to another which necessitates a change of controller, this could/should be coordinated. Farnborough knew my route...