Narrative:

Upon departing efd I was told to remain at or below 1100' until advised otherwise. I departed on the assigned heading and waited for further clearance for the originally cleared '3000' expect 7000' 10 mins after departure'. I had been advised to remain on tower frequency until further advised at the same time that I was cautioned to remain at or below 11000'. After several mins I observed an small aircraft which performed a square pattern passing 4000' and about 400' below me. I then observed the houston gulf airport almost directly below me. I called efd and received a frequency change approval. I then asked if I was cleared to 3000'. I was told 'cleared 3000' frequency change approved'. No explanation was offered and I decided not to pursue it. I contacted houston departure which immediately asked me to confirm altitude. I told them '1200' climbing to 3000''; 'confirm you are only at 1200''. 'Affirmative 1200' I was kept at 1100' by efd and I think they forgot about me'. Houston departure, 'roger that'. Efd is a favorite of military jets. At the time of departure, 2 government jets and one military jet were doing touch and go's in the pattern. I believe this distracted the controller to the point that he forgot to clear me to 3000' and change frequency after I had departed the airport traffic area. While no harm was done, it could have been a fatal incident had I been lower and just a little further south. The controller needs to pay attention to civilian (aircraft) as to the military aircraft. I will contact the tower much sooner if I receive instructions similar to the ones previously stated.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN IFR DEPARTING SMA RECEIVED AN ALT RESTRICTION AND LATE FREQ CHANGE TO DEP CTL.

Narrative: UPON DEPARTING EFD I WAS TOLD TO REMAIN AT OR BELOW 1100' UNTIL ADVISED OTHERWISE. I DEPARTED ON THE ASSIGNED HDG AND WAITED FOR FURTHER CLRNC FOR THE ORIGINALLY CLRED '3000' EXPECT 7000' 10 MINS AFTER DEP'. I HAD BEEN ADVISED TO REMAIN ON TWR FREQ UNTIL FURTHER ADVISED AT THE SAME TIME THAT I WAS CAUTIONED TO REMAIN AT OR BELOW 11000'. AFTER SEVERAL MINS I OBSERVED AN SMA WHICH PERFORMED A SQUARE PATTERN PASSING 4000' AND ABOUT 400' BELOW ME. I THEN OBSERVED THE HOUSTON GULF ARPT ALMOST DIRECTLY BELOW ME. I CALLED EFD AND RECEIVED A FREQ CHANGE APPROVAL. I THEN ASKED IF I WAS CLRED TO 3000'. I WAS TOLD 'CLRED 3000' FREQ CHANGE APPROVED'. NO EXPLANATION WAS OFFERED AND I DECIDED NOT TO PURSUE IT. I CONTACTED HOUSTON DEP WHICH IMMEDIATELY ASKED ME TO CONFIRM ALT. I TOLD THEM '1200' CLBING TO 3000''; 'CONFIRM YOU ARE ONLY AT 1200''. 'AFFIRMATIVE 1200' I WAS KEPT AT 1100' BY EFD AND I THINK THEY FORGOT ABOUT ME'. HOUSTON DEP, 'ROGER THAT'. EFD IS A FAVORITE OF MIL JETS. AT THE TIME OF DEP, 2 GOVERNMENT JETS AND ONE MIL JET WERE DOING TOUCH AND GO'S IN THE PATTERN. I BELIEVE THIS DISTRACTED THE CTLR TO THE POINT THAT HE FORGOT TO CLR ME TO 3000' AND CHANGE FREQ AFTER I HAD DEPARTED THE ARPT TFC AREA. WHILE NO HARM WAS DONE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL INCIDENT HAD I BEEN LOWER AND JUST A LITTLE FURTHER S. THE CTLR NEEDS TO PAY ATTN TO CIVILIAN (ACFT) AS TO THE MIL ACFT. I WILL CONTACT THE TWR MUCH SOONER IF I RECEIVE INSTRUCTIONS SIMILAR TO THE ONES PREVIOUSLY STATED.

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.