A C310 PLT DEPARTED PNS IFR AND WAS NOT CHANGED TO DEP UNTIL APPROX 15 MI FROM THE ARPT ON ASSIGNED HEADING.

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C310 DEPARTED PNS RWY 35 ON A HEADING OF 300 DEGS AS ASSIGNED BY THE TWR. THIS ACFT DID NOT ARTS ACQUIRE; AND WAS NOT XFERRED TO P31 DEP CTL TILL APPROX 15-20 MI NW OF PNS AT 1700 FT. THIS ACFT WAS OVER OR IN CLOSE PROX TO AN ANTENNA FARM WHERE THE MVA IS 3000 FT. THE ACFT WAS FINALLY LOCATED AND IDENTED 35 MI NW OF PNS IN MOB APCH CTL AIRSPACE. THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT IN THE SAME VICINITY; IFR AT 3000 FT; SO I COULD NOT ISSUE AN ALT ABOVE 2000 FT. THE LOA BTWN P31 AND PNS TWR ALLOWS FOR AUTOMATIC DEPS AND THE TWR HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR HANDING OFF ACFT THAT DO NOT AUTO ACQUIRE IN THE ARTS. THERE IS NO LINK TO PASS A DEP STRIP SINCE THE FACILITIES ARE NOT CO-LOCATED. THE PROC WE HAVE IN PLACE IS TO ELIMINATE THE NEED TO CALL FOR RELEASE ON EACH ACFT. LETTERS WITH 2 MIL TWRS ALSO INCLUDE THIS PROC. UNFORTUNATELY; AS IN THIS CASE; THE TWRS DO NOT ALWAYS DO THEIR JOB -- EITHER NOT CALLING ON UNTAGGED TARGETS OR NOT SWITCHING ACFT TO DEP. THE ABOVE ACFT STATED HE HAD TO ASK THE TWR IF HE COULD SWITCH TO DEP APPROX 15 MI TO THE NW OF PNS.