Small Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50; Flight Crew Total 9500; Flight Crew Type 1800
Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
ATC Issue All Types
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Airspace Structure; Procedure
Flying into KLDJ is a real challenge on a VFR day as they run you right up to the airport on the GPS A and it's very hard to cancel and stay out of the Class B airspace (800 feet on the airport and 500 east of it).  Unicom (No tower) is no help to find out what's happening and Approach doesn't want you to leave them to call unless you cancel.  All this time departures at KEWR are shut down till you cancel IFR and you still don't know who is in the pattern or what runway is in use.  Somebody is going to get hurt here trying to stay out of the airspace.  I tried calling KEWR Tower and Approach on the phone to gain local knowledge but that was no help as they didn't know or were too busy.  The problem here is the transition from IFR to VFR is done too late.
Pilot reports of busy and confusing airspace while landing at KLDJ.