Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 300; Flight Crew Total 2100; Flight Crew Type 150
Time Pressure; Situational Awareness; Confusion; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Airspace Structure; Chart Or Publication; Company Policy
Returning from a VFR flight following an aircraft. ATC diverted us to cross over an airport on the way to Runway 12 at San Carlos. I heard the preceding aircraft cleared to land as it was crossing over another airport. About 6 minutes later; I was over the same airport. ATC asked us to contact San Carlos Tower. San Carlos Tower asked us to report a VFR reporting point and cleared us to land Runway 12. There was a 20 knot headwind crossing towards San Carlos so this 11 miles took a long time.This is the start of a pattern at San Carlos. On earlier flights I have been cleared to land as I was leaving Oakland's Class Charlie well before San Mateo Bridge going to Runway 30. I have also been approved for change of frequency at 400 ft. before reaching the diamond shaped waterway on a coyote hills departure. I find it hard to believe that there was little traffic on SFO arrival that would warrant a lack of controlling over site as the flight goes under SFO's ILS for significantly long periods of time. San Carlos Tower has been severely understaffed for 15 months.
A VFR General Aviation pilot returning from a sight seeing flight reported ATC did not provide the proper level of service.