"Brad Z" wrote
I don't think it's reasonable to expect us to be contacting approach
before we leave the pattern in VFR conditions.

As a controller, and pilot, I agree. You did nothing wrong here. Even
if you had an IFR clearance and release and you were VFR dodging
traffic in the pattern on departure, you can't be expected to just leave
CTAF and blast through everyone else just because you're IFR.

I wasn't going to argue that over the frequency.

Good idea. You'll rarely win, it's better to call in later if you feel
the need. But in most cases you'll just get a supervisor who rarely
works traffic and he will either smooth it over with you and never
say anything to the controller - which solves nothing. Or he'll be
the kind who has it out for pilots and grill you on regs or want a
tape pulled just looking for anything to bust you on. I've had both
types of supes. I used Potomac alot on a couple of days recently,
mostly IFR with multiple approaches, including Dulles. I was
pleasantly surprised by their service, that's why I was interested
in this thread. I worked with multiple sectors (freqs) at different
days and times, so I got different crews. I didnt go in with high
expectations with the ADIZ and all, and being a relatively new
facility I'm sure theres bugs to iron out. But they were one of the
better facilities on my 5,000nm trip, and I got flight following or
was IFR the entire time, so I worked with lots of facilities on
that trip.

Anyway, that sounds like a dangerous procedure bringing them
in like that, and like someone else said, I may have just said
"cancel request" and leave frequency. But don't turn off
the radio, you might be surprised to hear him ask you NOT
to leave and come back, hehe. He doesn't want RA's going off
with his traffic if he can help it.

Chris