SMA WITHOUT ELECTRICAL SYS OVER FLIES ARSA WITH NO MODE C AND WITHOUT ONE HR PRIOR NOTICE.

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ALTHOUGH I HAD READ FAR 91.215 AND AIM PARAGRAPH 170 WITHIN ONE WK PRIOR; I WAS UNDER THE MISTAKEN IMPRESSION THAT A 'MODE C' WAS NOT REQUIRED TO FLY OVER AN ARSA IF THE ACFT WAS CERTIFIED WITH NO ELECTRICAL SYS. WHILE STILL OUTSIDE ARSA; AT 4;500 FT (ARSA CEILING 4100); CONTACTED SACRAMENTO APCH ON 119.1 (HANDHELD RADIO) AND ADVISED THEM OF MY POS; ALT AND DEST (COURSE OVERFLYING ARSA). APCH PROVIDED RADAR SVC BUT AFTER BEING HANDED OFF TO NEXT SECTOR; CTLR ASKED IF I HAD RECEIVED ONE HR PRIOR PERMISSION TO OVERFLY ARSA. I ADVISED HIM THAT I HAD NOT. HE TOLD ME IT WAS REQUIRED TO OVERFLY ARSA WITH NO TRANSPONDER. I ASKED FOR PHONE NUMBER TO CALL AFTER LNDG. THIS SECTION OF FAR IS SOMEWHAT CONFUSING. PARAGRAPH 91.215 4II IS FOLLOWED BY PARAGRAPH 91.215 5 WHICH; IF YOU AREN'T PAYING CLOSE ATTN TO PARAGRAPH NUMBERS; SEEMS TO EXEMPT NON-ELECTRICAL SYS ACFT. APCH CTL - TFC PERMITTING - SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO ISSUE PERMISSION FOR OVERFLT OF ARSAS IN THE AIR. THE ONE HR REQUIREMENT IS CUMBERSOME.