Narrative:

On a training flight, I was conducting cross country training in a C172 aircraft. I thought I found a good place to conduct simulated emergency situational training by placing student under hood and asking him to fly courses. I got involved in the lesson and paid less attention than what I should have as to physical location. After simulated emergency training was completed, student contacted ric approach and asked permission to enter class C airspace. Student notified controller that he was a student pilot. Controller insisted that we were already in class C airspace. Was notified that our position was 8 mi from ric, well within the 10 mi limit. The flight continued uneventfully to destination under ATC control. I am new to the area and did not recognize landmarks that placed me within the 10 mi circle. Also, the lesson plan contained pilotage, dead reckoning, VOR navigation, communications, in-flight emergencys, hood work, partial panel, timed turns and airspace. Maybe this was too much to toss at a student, as well as to keep aware exactly where I was. I have purchased a GPS for better situational awareness. In the future, I will program the flight in the GPS and set up warnings to protect against airspace intrusions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC, DURING TRAINING FLT, ENTER CLASS C AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON A TRAINING FLT, I WAS CONDUCTING XCOUNTRY TRAINING IN A C172 ACFT. I THOUGHT I FOUND A GOOD PLACE TO CONDUCT SIMULATED EMER SITUATIONAL TRAINING BY PLACING STUDENT UNDER HOOD AND ASKING HIM TO FLY COURSES. I GOT INVOLVED IN THE LESSON AND PAID LESS ATTN THAN WHAT I SHOULD HAVE AS TO PHYSICAL LOCATION. AFTER SIMULATED EMER TRAINING WAS COMPLETED, STUDENT CONTACTED RIC APCH AND ASKED PERMISSION TO ENTER CLASS C AIRSPACE. STUDENT NOTIFIED CTLR THAT HE WAS A STUDENT PLT. CTLR INSISTED THAT WE WERE ALREADY IN CLASS C AIRSPACE. WAS NOTIFIED THAT OUR POS WAS 8 MI FROM RIC, WELL WITHIN THE 10 MI LIMIT. THE FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY TO DEST UNDER ATC CTL. I AM NEW TO THE AREA AND DID NOT RECOGNIZE LANDMARKS THAT PLACED ME WITHIN THE 10 MI CIRCLE. ALSO, THE LESSON PLAN CONTAINED PILOTAGE, DEAD RECKONING, VOR NAV, COMS, INFLT EMERS, HOOD WORK, PARTIAL PANEL, TIMED TURNS AND AIRSPACE. MAYBE THIS WAS TOO MUCH TO TOSS AT A STUDENT, AS WELL AS TO KEEP AWARE EXACTLY WHERE I WAS. I HAVE PURCHASED A GPS FOR BETTER SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL PROGRAM THE FLT IN THE GPS AND SET UP WARNINGS TO PROTECT AGAINST AIRSPACE INTRUSIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.