Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30; Flight Crew Total 10000; Flight Crew Type 400
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Human Factors; Procedure
We were on an IFR flight plan to JAC inbound from OLNUE intersection.  Approximately 15 miles from the airport ATC advised us that there was a King Air at our 6 o'clock position.  We acknowledged and continued; staying with Center.  About 7 miles from the airport ATC was going to hand us over to Tower but said 'No stay with me as I want to keep an eye on the King Air'. We had been setting up for a left downwind entry.  At abeam the end of the runway we were told to switch to Tower.  When we switched Tower was not happy and wanted to know where we had been.  There was no delay from the time we switched from Center to Tower.  Tower informed us we had entered class D airspace without communicating to them.Since Center had told us to stay with them we thought tower would know this and that it was coordinated between the both of them.  In the future we will ask if we should continue into class D airspace or stay outside of it if a similar situation arises.  Also pay closer attention as to how close the airspace is and ask ahead of time to make sure we are not in airspace that we aren't supposed to be in.
Pilot reports of Center telling them to stay with him; because of traffic in close proximity. Center switches aircraft over to Tower and Tower complains that they had violated the Class Delta airspace and should have called them sooner.