Date: 201810
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: SQL.Airport, CA
Flight conditions: Mixed
Weather elements / visibility: 8
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Small Aircraft
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class D NUQ
ATC / advisory: TRACON NCT
Reporter organization: Personal
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Single Pilot
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Time Pressure; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Contributing factors: Airspace Structure; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Procedure

Narrative: On a VFR flight to San Carlos using ATC flight following the entire trip to SQL; I was instructed to cross the San Jose Airport mid field at 4;500 feet MSL. I was then to follow just west of Highway 101 to San Carlos under the Class B airspace. I have made this trip many times using ATC services. After crossing SJC about to turn NW bound; the controller advised '…altitude your discretion'. I began a VFR descent expecting an immediate hand off and the frequency for Moffett Field which was usually given quickly (NUQ is only a few miles from SJC). In the past an altitude of 2;000 to 2;500 feet was given to cross through the NUQ Class D initially while awaiting further instructions from Moffett Tower. This time no hand off was initiated by the controller until I asked; '…are you going to hand me off to Moffett Tower?' By this time I was abeam Moffett at around 2;000 to 2;500 feet MSL and the controller then instructed; '…Contact San Carlos Tower 119.0.' I was confused by this and said; '…San Carlos Tower?' He replied; '…affirmative.' This was surprising and a little confusing to me. I acknowledged the instruction changed over to San Carlos Tower who instructed me to proceed straight in to RWY 30. I was about a mile west of Highway 101 as I passed Palo Alto airport off to my right without talking to either Moffett or Palo Alto Towers for clearance through their Class D airspace. Was early handoff by the TRACON Controller to the San Carlos [airport] correct? This had never happened before and I interpreted it to mean these two towers were being advised by ATC and approved of my transition through their airspace guided by the TRACON and/or San Carlos Tower. I was a few hundred feet lower than the published tops of both the NUQ and PAO Class D airspace (there were a few clouds drifting over Highway 101 abeam PAO that caused me to get down around 1;500 feet MSL to clear them). Nothing was ever said to me about this by any other ATC controller so I assume there was no problem with what I did but I am not comfortable with this situation and I am writing this report as a result. In short; the lack of the hand off to NUQ and PAO by the controller which I always considered normal in the past leaves me uncertain about what was correct.

Callback: Reporter was concerned about the change to the SFO Class Bravo and the fact that it is now extremely hard to know where the changes are instead of using the concentric circles from the older SFO Class Bravo.  Reporter was glad we called and thanked us for doing what we do.



Synopsis: GA pilot reported confusion as to whether or not the aircraft had been pointed out to various ATC facilities while transiting the airspace to the destination.