C177 PLT PENETRATED CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT ESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT. THIS HAPPENED TWICE.

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APCHING YIP FROM THE W FOR LNDG; VFR; DSNDING; CALLED YIP TWR; ANNOUNCED POS AND INTENT. TWR ACKNOWLEDGED AND INSTRUCTED ME TO RPT. I FORGOT ABOUT ARB CLASS D BEFORE YIP. YIP TWR TOLD ME TO CALL ARB TWR AFTER ASKING ME TO IDENT. I WAS ABOUT 3 NM NW OF ARB BY THEN AT 3000 FT. THE YIP TWR CTLR SAID 'HANG ON' AND HE WOULD CONTACT ARB FOR ME. TOP OF CLASS D IS 3300 FT MSL. CAUSES INCLUDE: NOT THINKING IN VFR MODE -- I FLY MOSTLY IFR. CONCERNED ABOUT LISTENING TO YIP AND NOT MY POS. I WILL BE UPDATING TO A NEW HAND-HELD GPS WITH CLASS D AIRSPACE MARKED UNLIKE CURRENT UNITS IN MY PLANE. NEED TO PLAN FOR VFR CLRNCS UNLIKE IFR WHERE EVERYTHING IS AUTOMATIC. TKOF FROM YIP ON RWY 5; L TURN TO COURSE; DEST AZO 280 DEGS MAGNETIC. STOPPED CLBING AT 2500 FT IN ORDER TO STAY CLR OF CLASS B ABOVE 3000 FT. FORGOT TO CONSIDER ANN ARBOR CLASS D WHICH EXTENDS UP TO 3300 FT. MAY HAVE INCURRED NORTHERN PORTION OF CLASS D. REALIZED IT LATER THAT DAY. WAS LISTENING TO YIP CTLR (TWR) AFTER TKOF; BUT THEY MADE NO MENTION (THEY DON'T HAVE TO; OF COURSE). HAVE BEEN FLYING MOSTLY IFR AND GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO BEING HANDED OFF AND CLRED AUTOMATICALLY THROUGH AIRSPACES. DIDN'T CHK THE SECTIONAL CLOSE ENOUGH BEFORE TKOF.