ATC yelled at me today....

[dhc8fo]

So I was about 13 minutes from my destination and still at 15,000. When I asked for lower, they descended me to 2,000. I was cleared for the visual at 5,000' over my homefield and so I made a right descending 360 degree turn to enter the 45 at traffic pattern altitude.

I had gotten the frequency change and everything, but I hadn't cancelled yet. I monitor approach when I switch to unicom so I can listen for anything weird and I hear the guy yelling at me that I am flying away from the airport and that my landing clearance is cancelled and I need to fly such-and-such heading..... HUH??? He was being a REAL tool too!

Did I do something wrong? Was I not cleared for a visual (in VMC) and cleared to switch to the unicom? Therefore, can't I do whatever the hell I want??

I switched back and told him to cancel my IFR and basically ignored his rant, but I just gotta know... DID I DO SOMETHING WRONG that I don't realize?

Please put my mind at ease...or tell me I am wrong and I will hit the books.

 

[gkrangers]

I don't see what you did wrong.

 

[cynic]

Oh my God! You don't know about that rule. How did you get your license???

 

[GravityHater]

He's just trying to get you to cancel earlier.... for tomorrow's flight.

 

[SkyBoy1981]

I had gotten the frequency change and everything, but I hadn't cancelled yet. I monitor approach when I switch to unicom so I can listen for anything weird and I hear the guy yelling at me that I am flying away from the airport and that my landing clearance is cancelled...

Perhaps I am missing something, but from the information you have provided it appears that you were flying into a non-towered airport. If that was the case, then how was there a "landing clearance" to be cancelled in the first place?

 

[gkrangers]

Perhaps I am missing something, but from the information you have provided it appears that you were flying into a non-towered airport. If that was the case, then how was there a "landing clearance" to be cancelled in the first place?

im ASSuming he meant approach clearance cancelled.

he probably wanted you to cancel ifr....hint hint hint hint hint....

 

[MarineGrunt]

The AIM states that you should make a "normal" approach to the airport when cleared visual. Maybe the 360 took him by surprise or threw a monkey wrench in his plans.

BTW- how would doing a 360 make you any more aligned to enter on a 45 to downwind??? :nuts:

 

[gkrangers]

And, I'm no expert, but descending into the pattern can be bad news.

 

[cezzna]

He didn't expect the 360 and in a panic thought you were going somewhere else. He didn't realize that you were doing a 360, his screen just showed a heading that didn't add up in his head. I don't know how many miles you get on a visual but he probably thought where is he going and what traffic do i have out there in a panic. Then he vented on you. If you had told him you were going to do a 360 he probably wouldn't have cared. You didn't do anything wrong as far as I can see. What were you flying? If it was a DC-8 or any other jet at 200KIAS, you can cover some ground.

 

[gkrangers]

Oh..and ATC yelled at you? It won't be the last time! Just yell back!