BE100 PLT CLBED VFR INTO IMC WITHOUT IFR CLRNC.

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AT LZU WE TAXIED OUT FOR DEP; #3 IN LINE. 2 ACFT AHEAD WERE BOUND FOR SAME DEST (ASN). AT HOLD LINE; TWR ADVISED GND HOLD FOR ASN UPDATE IN 15 MINS. TAXIED BACK AND SHUT DOWN. TWR CALLED IN 15 MINS AND ADVISED OF 1 HR GND HOLD AT ASN. THE CEILING WAS IMPROVING AT LZU; AND I ASKED THE TWR IF THE FIELD WAS VFR; AS NOW THERE WERE SEVERAL ACFT IN THE PATTERN DOING TOUCH-AND-GOES. I WAS TOLD IT WAS; AND WE DISCUSSED TAKING OFF VFR AND OPENING IFR CLRNC IN THE AIR. I ESTIMATED THE CLOUDS TO BE 2500 FT AGL AND DECIDED TO RELOAD PAX AND TKOF. I DEPARTED LZU AND CLBED OUT TO 3000 FT; CONTACTED ATL APCH AND REQUESTED IFR CLRNC TO ASN. APCH SAID HE WAS BUSY AND TO REMAIN VFR. WE REMAINED VFR AT 3000 FT FOR APPROX 2 MINS AND I CALLED AND ASKED FOR CLRNC AGAIN. HE REPLIED HE WAS TOO BUSY; AND I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAVE TAKEN OFF YET. I DID DEPART VFR; SO I WAS CONFUSED BY THIS. I CALLED ONE LAST TIME AND REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE CLB TO HIGHER ALT. NO RESPONSE FROM ATC. AT THIS TIME WE WERE POINTED TOWARDS THE BUILDINGS AND ANTENNAE OF DOWNTOWN ATLANTA; AND ALSO 2 CTL ZONES OF PDK AND MGE; SO I FELT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO CLB IN CLOUDS AND PUT ALT BTWN MYSELF AND THE GND. I TOPPED THE CLOUDS AT AROUND 9000 FT AND GOT INTO THE CLR. I BELIEVED THAT MY TRACK WOULD HAVE PUT ME INTO THE 8000-12500 FT RING OF ATL CLASS B AIRSPACE; SO I CLBED VFR TO 14500 FT TO GET OUT OF THE TOP OF THE CLASS B. AT 14500 FT I CONTACTED ZTL AND TRIED TO OPEN MY IFR AGAIN. HE GAVE ME ANOTHER FREQ; AND I WAS ABLE TO OPEN MY FLT PLAN. FROM THIS POINT ON; IT WAS A NORMAL FLT. IN LOOKING BACK; I FELT WE WOULD HAVE ADEQUATE TIME TO OPEN OUR FLT PLAN. I DID NOT ANTICIPATE ATL APCH BEING AS BUSY AS HE WAS. I WAS PREPARED TO DECLARE AN EMER ABOUT THE TIME ATL WOULD NOT RESPOND. I FELT I HAD TO DEVIATE FOR SAFETY SAKE. I HAD BUT 2 OPTIONS AFTER I GOT AIRBORNE: EITHER TO STAY LOW AND POSSIBLY HIT SOMETHING; OR TO GO UP AND GET CLR OF EVERYTHING. I FELT GOING UP WAS THE QUICKEST AND BEST OPTION.