Narrative:

We were on a VFR night cross country from dab to tpa. I only have a few hours dual given. I took my friend's student on this cross country as a favor. This guy was a 250 hour foreign multi/instrument/commercial rated pilot. But he needs american ratings. From observing his flight planning and radio technique departing daytona, I determined that this guy wasn't the 'quickest' student. This made me more vigilant and tense. After leaving daytona class C airspace, we were told to squawk VFR and contact orlando approach for flight following. As we climbed through 5500 ft over deland, I contacted orlando. They told me I was cleared to enter class B on course to tampa. I was helping my student stay visually oriented and showing him our position in relation to ormond VOR when orlando asked us why we were at 6000 ft. I asked for 6500 ft (the altitude my student filed for) and we got it. If I had not been distraction with my student, I would have asked for flight following and a climb through 5500 ft for 6500 ft. I think practice with other people's students, while they supervise, is a better way to train CFI applicants. This way, they will get used to the high workload and stress of flying with students before they go out on their own.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEW INSTRUCTOR QUESTIONED ABOUT ALT AFTER BEING CLRED INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A VFR NIGHT XCOUNTRY FROM DAB TO TPA. I ONLY HAVE A FEW HRS DUAL GIVEN. I TOOK MY FRIEND'S STUDENT ON THIS XCOUNTRY AS A FAVOR. THIS GUY WAS A 250 HR FOREIGN MULTI/INST/COMMERCIAL RATED PLT. BUT HE NEEDS AMERICAN RATINGS. FROM OBSERVING HIS FLT PLANNING AND RADIO TECHNIQUE DEPARTING DAYTONA, I DETERMINED THAT THIS GUY WASN'T THE 'QUICKEST' STUDENT. THIS MADE ME MORE VIGILANT AND TENSE. AFTER LEAVING DAYTONA CLASS C AIRSPACE, WE WERE TOLD TO SQUAWK VFR AND CONTACT ORLANDO APCH FOR FLT FOLLOWING. AS WE CLBED THROUGH 5500 FT OVER DELAND, I CONTACTED ORLANDO. THEY TOLD ME I WAS CLRED TO ENTER CLASS B ON COURSE TO TAMPA. I WAS HELPING MY STUDENT STAY VISUALLY ORIENTED AND SHOWING HIM OUR POS IN RELATION TO ORMOND VOR WHEN ORLANDO ASKED US WHY WE WERE AT 6000 FT. I ASKED FOR 6500 FT (THE ALT MY STUDENT FILED FOR) AND WE GOT IT. IF I HAD NOT BEEN DISTR WITH MY STUDENT, I WOULD HAVE ASKED FOR FLT FOLLOWING AND A CLB THROUGH 5500 FT FOR 6500 FT. I THINK PRACTICE WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S STUDENTS, WHILE THEY SUPERVISE, IS A BETTER WAY TO TRAIN CFI APPLICANTS. THIS WAY, THEY WILL GET USED TO THE HIGH WORKLOAD AND STRESS OF FLYING WITH STUDENTS BEFORE THEY GO OUT ON THEIR OWN.

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.