PVT PLT OF A CESSNA 172 INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED CLASS C AIRSPACE ENRTE TO ANOTHER NEARBY ARPT.

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I WAS ENRTE VFR FROM 1B2 TO BAF. PRIOR TO THE TRIP; MY FRIEND (A CFII) WHO I WAS GOING TO PICK UP AT BAF (AFTER DROPPING OFF HIS AIRPLANE) WENT OVER THE RTE OF FLT WITH ME; AND MADE IT VERY CLR TO AVOID CEF AND NOT MISTAKE IT FOR BAF. WHILE ENRTE AT 4500 FT MSL; I WAS TALKING WITH BRADLY APCH. THEY THEN TOLD ME TO SQUAWK 1200 AND CALL BAF TWR; WHICH I DID; AFTER DSNDING TO 2000 FT (PATTERN IS 1271 FT MSL). I CAREFULLY AVOIDED CEF; BUT DUE TO MY ALT WAS UNABLE TO SEE BAF AND MISTOOK BDL FOR BAF. AFTER THE TWR TOLD ME TO HEAD N AND CLB; I MADE A SUCCESSFUL LNDG AT BAF. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL BRADLY APCH ON THE PHONE. CTLR TOLD ME I WAS 8 MI E OF BDL AND SHOULD BE VIOLATED; ETC. I TOLD HIM IT WAS AN HONEST MISTAKE AND I CORRECTED IT WHEN MADE AWARE OF IT. AFTER A DISCUSSION; HE SAID HE WOULD NOT RPT ME. I PLAN TO GET SOME DUAL INSTRUCTION IN XCOUNTRY PROCS AND PILOTAGE. BY THE WAY; AT 2000 FT MSL AND 8 NM; I WAS CLRLY OUTSIDE OF CLASS C AIRSPACE. THE AIM PAR 3.2.4. PUTS THE CORE DIMENSION AT 5 NM RADIUS FROM SFC TO 4000 FT ABOVE ARPT ELEVATION AND A 10 NM RADIUS SHELF FROM 1200-4000 FT AGL. AT 8 NM OUT; I WAS BELOW THE 2000 FT MSL FLOOR AND 5 NM RADIUS DEPICTED ON THE NY SECTIONAL.