Narrative:

I was alone practicing precision maneuvers (steep turns; holding altitude; ATC) in an area of the stl class B that has a ceiling of 4500 ft MSL. It is in an area that I can get tis traffic information on my mfd. Stl approach recently changed some of their radar equipment and since that time; tis has not worked well west of the lambert (stl) field. The notch I was flying in is an exception to that where I can receive advisories and since I was alone I wanted to have the traffic information. At some point in time during my maneuvers; I noticed some traffic on the mfd about 5 NM north at 4500 ft. I looked to find the traffic and was surprised to see a B737 climbing out from lambert -- seemed low. I looked again at my mfd and discovered that I had crossed over into the 3000 ft ring of class B. I had strayed into the western section of the ring at 3500 ft and perhaps a mile or so into it. Upon recognizing this; I immediately initiated a descent and took up a western course back to the 4500 ft area. The airspace violation; I believe; was only 2-3 mins at most in duration. It took me less than 30 seconds to clear the area once I recognized the problem. In retrospect; I believe I just got too absorbed in my maneuvers and ignored my position. In this case the technology of the mfd and tis drew me into this area with a sense of safety. My mfd does have airspace alarms which would have alerted me to this problem before it occurred but I had turned off the alerts. Flying much of time as I do beneath and close to the class B; the alerts go off constantly and thus become a nuisance during 'regular' flying.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A SMA INADVERTENTLY ENTERS CLASS B AIRSPACE WHILE FOCUSING ON TIS TFC DISPLAY.

Narrative: I WAS ALONE PRACTICING PRECISION MANEUVERS (STEEP TURNS; HOLDING ALT; ATC) IN AN AREA OF THE STL CLASS B THAT HAS A CEILING OF 4500 FT MSL. IT IS IN AN AREA THAT I CAN GET TIS TFC INFO ON MY MFD. STL APCH RECENTLY CHANGED SOME OF THEIR RADAR EQUIP AND SINCE THAT TIME; TIS HAS NOT WORKED WELL W OF THE LAMBERT (STL) FIELD. THE NOTCH I WAS FLYING IN IS AN EXCEPTION TO THAT WHERE I CAN RECEIVE ADVISORIES AND SINCE I WAS ALONE I WANTED TO HAVE THE TFC INFO. AT SOME POINT IN TIME DURING MY MANEUVERS; I NOTICED SOME TFC ON THE MFD ABOUT 5 NM N AT 4500 FT. I LOOKED TO FIND THE TFC AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE A B737 CLBING OUT FROM LAMBERT -- SEEMED LOW. I LOOKED AGAIN AT MY MFD AND DISCOVERED THAT I HAD CROSSED OVER INTO THE 3000 FT RING OF CLASS B. I HAD STRAYED INTO THE WESTERN SECTION OF THE RING AT 3500 FT AND PERHAPS A MILE OR SO INTO IT. UPON RECOGNIZING THIS; I IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A DSCNT AND TOOK UP A WESTERN COURSE BACK TO THE 4500 FT AREA. THE AIRSPACE VIOLATION; I BELIEVE; WAS ONLY 2-3 MINS AT MOST IN DURATION. IT TOOK ME LESS THAN 30 SECONDS TO CLEAR THE AREA ONCE I RECOGNIZED THE PROB. IN RETROSPECT; I BELIEVE I JUST GOT TOO ABSORBED IN MY MANEUVERS AND IGNORED MY POSITION. IN THIS CASE THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE MFD AND TIS DREW ME INTO THIS AREA WITH A SENSE OF SAFETY. MY MFD DOES HAVE AIRSPACE ALARMS WHICH WOULD HAVE ALERTED ME TO THIS PROB BEFORE IT OCCURRED BUT I HAD TURNED OFF THE ALERTS. FLYING MUCH OF TIME AS I DO BENEATH AND CLOSE TO THE CLASS B; THE ALERTS GO OFF CONSTANTLY AND THUS BECOME A NUISANCE DURING 'REGULAR' FLYING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.