PA28 PLT; IN THE CONFUSION OF VFR LNDG AT HEF FROM PCT APCH CTL; DSNDS INTO HEF CLASS D AIRSPACE; CIRCLING S OF ARPT UNTIL COM IS ESTABLISHED. PLT CONCERNED WITH AIRSPACE COMPRESSION IN THAT AREA.

Narrative

ON IFR FLT PLAN FROM SFQ TO HEF; POTOMAC APCH CLRS ME DOWN TO 3000 FT TO CROSS RESTR AREA 6608A; B; AND C. I WAS EXPECTING HDOF TO HEF TWR; BUT POTOMAC APCH XMISSIONS CEASED FOR ABOUT 30-60 SECONDS. THEN HE ASKED ME IF I WAS ON HIS FREQ (AS IF HE HAD BEEN TRYING TO REACH ME; OR HAD THOUGHT HE HAD ALREADY HANDED ME OFF TO HEF TWR). CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED. HE CLRED ME DOWN TO 2000 FT AND THEN CLRED ME FOR A VISUAL APCH TO HEF; AND THEN HANDED ME OFF TO HEF TWR. HE DID NOT SAY 'STAY AT 2000 FT' UNTIL I CONTACTED HEF TWR. BY THAT TIME; IN SPITE OF SLOWING DOWN CONSIDERABLY; I WAS HIGH AND CLOSE TO HEF. WHEN I SWITCHED TO HEF TWR FREQ; THERE WAS BEDLAM. PLTS WERE COMPLAINING ABOUT WAITING 20 MINS FOR CLRNC INTO THE CLASS D AIRSPACE; AND I COULDN'T GET A CALL IN EDGEWISE. I DSNDED TO 1400 FT AND STARTED TO CIRCLE (OUT OF THE WAY) ABOUT 4 NM SE OF HEF; ALL THE TIME TRYING TO CALL HEF TWR; BUT NEVER GETTING AN ANSWER. FINALLY; TWR SAID HE WASN'T ALLOWING ANYONE ELSE INTO THE AIRSPACE; AND NOT TO REQUEST THAT. IN THE QUIET THAT ENSUED; I CALLED AND SAID I WAS ALREADY IN THE AIRSPACE. HE TOLD ME TO CALL A 2 MI FINAL TO RWY 34R. I DID; AND WAS CLRED TO LAND. THE MAIN PROB HERE IS THAT HEF TWR IS OVERWHELMED ON WKENDS; AND CAN'T ACCOMMODATE THE IFR AND VFR DEMAND. BECAUSE OF THE RESTRICTED AREAS 6608A&C TO THE S; AND CLASS B ABOVE AND SURROUNDING THE ARPT; THERE IS VERY CONSTRAINED AIRSPACE. THE ONLY THING I WILL DO DIFFERENTLY NEXT TIME IS STAY HIGHER (ABOUT 2000 FT) AS I CIRCLE TO THE SE WAITING TO GET IN.