C182 PLT AND A C150 HAD LESS THAN LEGAL SEPARATION IN SDL CLASS D AIRSPACE AFTER THE C182 PLT CUT OUT THE C150 FOR LNDG.

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UPON ARR TO SDL; I CONTACTED TWR AT APPROX 10 MI OUT. I WAS TOLD TO RPT 5 MI AND EXPECT A R BASE FOR RWY 21. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME A CESSNA 150 ACROBAT RPTED TO TWR THEY WERE INBOUND. AT ABOUT 8 MI; I WAS ASKED IF I HAD THE CESSNA INSIGHT AND TO FOLLOW HIM FOR LNDG. I RPTED HIM IN SIGHT. AT 5 MI; I RPTED IN AND WAS TOLD 'CLRED TO LAND.' I ENTERED A R BASE AND PROCEEDED INBOUND. AT APPROX 3/4 MI; TWR ASKED IF I WAS LNDG AHEAD OF THE C150. THE FLT INSTRUCTOR BROKE OFF HIS APCH (HE WAS ON A CLOSE R BASE) AND CAME IN BEHIND ME. THERE WAS NO CONTACT BTWN TWR AND ME FROM 5 MI TO SHORT FINAL. I OVERTOOK THE C150 WHEN I WAS ON FINAL. I LOST SIGHT OF HIM. HOWEVER; I HEARD 'CLRED TO LAND' AT 5 MI. NO REF WAS MADE TO BEING #2 AT THAT TIME. IT WAS BUSY THAT DAY AND THE CTLR HAD AN 'EDGE' IN HIS VOICE WHICH WAS A LITTLE INTIMIDATING. I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE SCOTTSDALE ARPT. I WAS RECENTLY CHKED OUT IN THIS AIRPLANE. I THINK BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT WAS A FACTOR IN THAT THE 'VISUAL CUES' WERE NOT THERE AND I WAS DISTR. I HAD PLANNED ON TELLING TWR I WAS UNFAMILIAR ON MY INITIAL CALL-UP. I BELIEVE IF I WOULD HAVE DONE THAT; TWR WOULD HAVE KEPT AN EYE ON ME. I ALSO BELIEVE THE FLT INSTRUCTOR IN THE OTHER AIRPLANE WOULD HAVE LOOKED CLOSER FOR ME; BREAKING OFF HIS APCH MUCH SOONER. I SHOULD HAVE TOLD TWR I LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE C150. HOWEVER; THE 'CLRED TO LAND' COM GIVEN TO ME AT 5 MI CONFUSED ME. IF THE TWR WOULD HAVE SAID 'CLRED TO LAND #2; SLOW DOWN FOR SPACING;' THAT WOULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE. THE STUDENT IN THE C150 WAS DOING THE RADIO COM AND IT IS POSSIBLE THEY WERE DISTR WITH OTHER MATTERS. WHEN FLYING INTO UNFAMILIAR CROWDED AIRSPACE IN THE FUTURE; I WILL SAY 'UNFAMILIAR.' IF I HAVE ANY DOUBT ABOUT SPACING; I WILL ASK -- EVEN IF THE ATC CTLR HAS AN EDGE IN HIS VOICE. I WAS TOLD AFTER I LANDED THIS WAS THE 'GROUCHY' CTLR. IF THERE HAD BEEN AN ACCIDENT THAT NEVER WOULD HAVE COME UP AS A CAUSE. THIS DEMEANOR DID DISCOURAGE COM IN THE AIR.