C172 INSTRUCTOR AND TRAINEE RECEIVE 'ATTITUDE' FROM CSG LCL CTLR WHEN ASKED TO CLARIFY TFC PATTERN OPS.

Narrative

DURING A VFR TRAINING FLT; MY STUDENT AND I DEPARTED AUBURN (AUO) FOR COLUMBUS (CSG) TO DO SOME PATTERN WORK AT THE CTLED FIELD. AFTER LISTENING TO THE ATIS; AND GETTING THE CURRENT WINDS AND RWY IN USE; WE CONTACTED APCH ON 125.5. WE ADVISED THAT WE HAD THE ATIS AND WERE INBOUND FOR SOME TOUCH AND GOES AT COLUMBUS. THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED AND CLRED US TO PROCEED. UPON HDOF TO THE TWR; WE WERE CLRED TO LAND; SO I AGAIN REQUESTED A TOUCH AND GO. AFTER THE TOUCH AND GO; I INQUIRED WHETHER TWR WANTED R OR L TFC; TO WHICH HE RESPONDED; 'I NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.' UPON CLARIFICATION; IT BECAME CLR THAT APCH HAD NOT RELAYED OUR REQUEST TO THE TWR. AGAIN THE TWR CTLR SCOLDED US FOR NOT REQUESTING THE TOUCH AND GOES (MULTIPLE) WITH HIM. AFTER SEVERAL LAPS AROUND THE PATTERN; WE REQUESTED TO RETURN TO AUBURN; WHICH WE WERE GRANTED. ON UPWIND AFTER THE LAST TOUCH AND GO; I ASKED THE TWR WHETHER HE WOULD LIKE A R OR L TURNOUT; AND WAS SCOLDED AGAIN; SAYING SOMETHING LIKE; 'YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER.' WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF; WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. THE CTLR'S SHORT TEMPER NOT ONLY CAUSED THE SUBJECT TO FREEZE ON THE RADIOS; BUT ALSO SERVED TO DISCOURAGE EFFECTIVE COMS. I HAVE ALWAYS HELD THAT IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF A CLRNC; YOU SHOULD ASK. THIS CTLR'S TONE AND TEMPER OVER AN OTHERWISE NON-EVENT COULD CAUSE SOME PLTS TO HESITATE TO CONFIRM A CLRNC; THEREBY COMPROMISING SAFETY.