No question that you got bad service, but I would suggest that the PIC be
more assertive. If you don't get what you want, ask for it. In the future,
file IFR and turn your "practice" into reality.

Bob Gardner

"Lurker" wrote in message
...
Flyers,

I just want some of your thoughts on this. My plane partner and I went
out
last night to do some practice instrument approaches. He wore the hood
and
I was the right-seat safety pilot.

ATC was not too busy and it was a nice VFR night. First, after we asked
for
a practice ILS 24 into KPNE they acknowledged our request and then forgot
about us and had us continue flying away from the field for sometime.
This
continued until I finally asked if they were going to vector us.

"Oh...no...I just figured you'd turn toward Yardley."

Hmmm...ok we turn toward Yardley. He then had us climb to 3000. He
vectored us onto the approach within 1/8 mile of the final approach fix,
had
us maintain 3000 (FAF alt on chart is 2000) and cleared us for the
approach.
My partner was struggling to get the plane down and I'm looking out for
planes, our attitude, the glide slope, his airspeed,...IOW...everything.

I suddenly realize that we are on a 1/2 mile final (way above the glide
slope) and we were never handed off to the tower. I push the flip-flop
button and contact the tower and ask if we missed a handoff.

The tower responds, "I've been waiting for you to contact us"

"I'm sorry. Did approach hand us off?"

"No...but that doesn't matter...it's your responsibility. You need to
realize that there is a problem before you're on a 1/2 mile final."

To make a long story short...we were given back to approach and did the
approach into our field (VOR-A). We were handed off to another approach
controller. We asked for a practice VOR-A into N14 with vectors. This
controller never vectored us and merrily watched us (or didn't watch us)
fly
right through the approach course, never vectoring us, never assigning an
altitude and never clearing us for the approach.

I get on the radio and asked if he wanted us to fly through the approach
course.

"Ahhh...no...just intercept the approach course and maintain 2100 until
PONDE (the FAF)..." he then cleared us for the approach.

What was this? A bad night for controllers? Were we second class
citizens?
And why did I get bawled out for the approach controllers forgetful
hand-off?

Kobra