A C182 PLT; WITH NEW RADIO EQUIP INSTALLED; WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT APCH CTL BEFORE VIOLATING KICT CLASS 'C' AIRSPACE.
Synopsis
A C182 PLT; WITH NEW RADIO EQUIP INSTALLED; WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT APCH CTL BEFORE VIOLATING KICT CLASS 'C' AIRSPACE.
Narrative
MY AIRPLANE HAD A NEW GPS-COM INSTALLED IN IT; AND THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT IN IT AFTER THE INSTALLATION. I WAS DEPARTING FROM THE WICHITA MID CONTINENT ARPT (ICT) FOR A FLT TO JABARA ARPT (AAO); WHICH IS ACROSS TOWN. I USED A SCROLLING SCREEN FUNCTION ON THE GPS-COM TO CHANGE FREQ TO TALK TO CLRNC; GND; AND SO ON AT ICT. I HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF AND HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO TURN TO A HEADING OF 140 DEGS AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT AFTER TKOF. AFTER TKOF; I TRIED TO TUNE THE RADIO MANUALLY TO TALK TO WICHITA APCH; AND DISCOVERED THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN HOW TO DO THAT. I TALKED TO THE TWR AND EXPLAIN THAT I COULDN'T TUNE MY RADIO AND ALSO TURNED AWAY FROM THE 140 DEG HEADING SINCE I WAS AFRAID THAT HEADING WOULD SEND ME OVER MCCONNEL AFB. THE TWR RESPONDED BY TELLING ME TO SQUAWK 1200 AND AVOID MCCONNELL AND ICT AIRSPACE. I TURNED TO THE NORTH TO AVOID MCCONNEL AIRSPACE; BUT I BELIEVE THAT I WAS STILL IN THE ICT AIRSPACE THAT I HAD BEEN TOLD TO AVOID. DURING THIS TIME; I WAS ALSO ABOVE MY ASSIGNED 3000 FT ALT. I THEN FIGURED OUT HOW TO TUNE THE RADIO MANUALLY; AND CONTACTED WICHITA APCH. THEY GAVE ME A NEW SQUAWK CODE; AND INSTRUCTED ME TO RESUME MY OWN NAV TO MY INTENDED DEST OF AAO. I LANDED AT AAO WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT WAS MY LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH MY NEW EQUIPMENT. THE WAY TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF THIS SIT IS TO STUDY THE OPS OF THE NEW EQUIP; AND BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE BASIC OPS OF THE EQUIP. USE OF AN AVAILABLE SIMULATOR WILL ASSIST; AS WILL STUDY OF THE EQUIPMENT'S OWNER MANUAL.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.