Cessna Single Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 1800; Flight Crew Type 800
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Airspace Structure; Human Factors
I flew from ZZZ to N07 and as usual I transition CDW class D on the way. I was in totally clear conditions; 20+ miles visibility; no clouds. I saw N07 and CDW airports from many miles out. When I called up CDW tower to ask for a transition clearance; he replied with my call sign but then stated that the field was IFR. When I told him that I had the field and N07 in sight several miles out; his reply again was 'field is IFR'. Not thinking much about it I continued as he had responded with my call sign I determined I was cleared to enter class D. When I was overhead the field; a helicopter departing from MMU also asked for a transition and CDW tower controller told him 'field is IFR circumnavigate class D'. The helicopter pilot was puzzled as well as he also was in clear VFR conditions. The CDW tower controller then asked me where I was and I told him at 1600 feet above the field in clear conditions. The controller then in a somewhat unfriendly tone said 'I told you the field is IFR and you have to circumnavigate the Class D'. My reply to him was that he never told me to circumnavigate. At that point I had already lined up for N07 and asked to switch frequencies which the tower controller never responded to. Since I needed to self-announce my intentions on the N07 CTAF I switched frequencies. I don't know what weather information CDW was using; but the weather conditions at the time were perfectly VFR.
A single engine general aviation pilot reported a miscommunication with ATC when a transition through CDW's Class D airspace was requested.