Narrative:

I was soaring near breckinridge, colorado when I got into a mountain wave situation. Shortly I was approaching 18000 ft. I have been flying gliders for a little over a yr and remembered other pilots talking about contacting center and requesting a clearance into the class a to continue the climb in the wave, so I though I would give it a try. I contacted denver center and requested a clearance into the class a. I was given a transponder code and asked my intentions. I repeated that I would like a block altitude of FL180-FL200. The controller asked if I was IFR capable and I took that to mean if I was IFR rated, so I answered 'affirmative.' they gave me the block altitude and also subsequent blocks up to FL240. Since my oxygen system is only certified to 24000 ft, I then requested a descent to 17000 ft, which I received and upon leaving FL180, I canceled with the center and left the frequency. During the climb and descent, the center did not give me as traffic to any other aircraft, nor did they ask me to maintain any specific altitudes or headings, so I do not believe that I had any impact on other traffic. It was only after the flight that I began to think that the center might have been inquiring about the glider's IFR capabilities. It does have everything required except for an artificial horizon. The WX was cavu. The visibility was about 100-150 miles in all directions. No clouds within sight. I was above FL180 for about 15-20 mins. I believe what I did was done safely, but a violation of the far's. I do not intend to do it again unless I am in a designated wave window established by ATC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A POWERED GLIDER PLT USES CLASS A AIRSPACE AFTER RECEIVING CLRNC FROM ATC BUT LATER REALIZES THAT HIS ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED FOR THAT AIRSPACE ACCORDING TO FAR'S NEAR CO11, CO.

Narrative: I WAS SOARING NEAR BRECKINRIDGE, COLORADO WHEN I GOT INTO A MOUNTAIN WAVE SIT. SHORTLY I WAS APCHING 18000 FT. I HAVE BEEN FLYING GLIDERS FOR A LITTLE OVER A YR AND REMEMBERED OTHER PLTS TALKING ABOUT CONTACTING CENTER AND REQUESTING A CLRNC INTO THE CLASS A TO CONTINUE THE CLB IN THE WAVE, SO I THOUGH I WOULD GIVE IT A TRY. I CONTACTED DENVER CENTER AND REQUESTED A CLRNC INTO THE CLASS A. I WAS GIVEN A TRANSPONDER CODE AND ASKED MY INTENTIONS. I REPEATED THAT I WOULD LIKE A BLOCK ALTITUDE OF FL180-FL200. THE CTLR ASKED IF I WAS IFR CAPABLE AND I TOOK THAT TO MEAN IF I WAS IFR RATED, SO I ANSWERED 'AFFIRMATIVE.' THEY GAVE ME THE BLOCK ALTITUDE AND ALSO SUBSEQUENT BLOCKS UP TO FL240. SINCE MY OXYGEN SYSTEM IS ONLY CERTIFIED TO 24000 FT, I THEN REQUESTED A DSCNT TO 17000 FT, WHICH I RECEIVED AND UPON LEAVING FL180, I CANCELED WITH THE CENTER AND LEFT THE FREQ. DURING THE CLB AND DSCNT, THE CENTER DID NOT GIVE ME AS TFC TO ANY OTHER ACFT, NOR DID THEY ASK ME TO MAINTAIN ANY SPECIFIC ALTITUDES OR HEADINGS, SO I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I HAD ANY IMPACT ON OTHER TFC. IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE FLT THAT I BEGAN TO THINK THAT THE CENTER MIGHT HAVE BEEN INQUIRING ABOUT THE GLIDER'S IFR CAPABILITIES. IT DOES HAVE EVERYTHING REQUIRED EXCEPT FOR AN ARTIFICIAL HORIZON. THE WX WAS CAVU. THE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 100-150 MILES IN ALL DIRECTIONS. NO CLOUDS WITHIN SIGHT. I WAS ABOVE FL180 FOR ABOUT 15-20 MINS. I BELIEVE WHAT I DID WAS DONE SAFELY, BUT A VIOLATION OF THE FAR'S. I DO NOT INTEND TO DO IT AGAIN UNLESS I AM IN A DESIGNATED WAVE WINDOW ESTABLISHED BY ATC.

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.