SMA PLT DOING MANEUVERS FOR RESEARCH FLT ENTERS CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT CONTACT. INSTRUCTOR PLT WITH HIM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA.

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I MET THE INSTRUCTOR AT THE ARPT. SHE IS DOING A STUDY ON PLTS WHO DON'T FLY OFTEN TO DETERMINE WHICH SKILLS DETERIORATE FIRST. SHE WORKS AT OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY; AND USUALLY FLIES OUT OF OSU; NOT CMH. I SHOWED HER THE PRACTICE AREA ON THE SECTIONAL. SHE HAD A TEST PLAN INCLUDING HOOD WORK; SLOW FLT; STALLS; VOR ORIENTATION -- WHICH REQUIRED AN ALT OF 3000 FT (ABOUT 2000 FT AGL). I CALLED CLRNC DELIVERY FOR A NBOUND TRIP TO THE PRACTICE AREA AT 3000 FT. IT WAS GRANTED. NORMALLY; THE INSTRUCTORS IN MY CLUB ASK FOR 2500 FT. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF; I WENT UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER A WHILE (WHICH I FELT WAS TOO SHORT) SHE SAID THAT WE WERE IN THE PRACTICE AREA. TO CONFIRM; I ASKED HER IF WE WERE OUTSIDE I-270 (WHICH IS NEAR THE BOUNDARY OF THE CLASS C AT 2500 FT MSL). SHE SAID WE WERE IN THE CLR. I WAS STILL UNDER THE HOOD; AND ASKED DEP FOR A FREQ CHANGE. THE CTLR SAID THAT HE COULDN'T AUTH ANY MANEUVERS YET; BUT CANCELED RADAR SVC; SQUAWK 1200; ETC. SHE HAD ME FIRST DO A R 180 DEG TURN; FOLLOWED BY ONE TO THE L. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WE WERE PROBABLY STILL IN THE CLASS C. WE DID THE REST OF THE TEST PLAN; MOSTLY AT 3000 FT MSL; WITH SOME PARTS (EMER LNDG; ETC) DOWN TO ABOUT 2000 FT MSL. WE WERE DONE; SO I CALLED TO COLUMBUS APCH. I THOUGHT WE WERE 15 NM N; 2800 FT MSL -- THE CTLR SAID THAT WE WERE 5 MI N; IN THE CLASS C. I HAD LOOKED AT THE WRONG RESERVOIR TO DETERMINE MY POS. I WAS SOMEWHAT DISORIENTED. THE CTLR HANDED US OFF TO A DIFFERENT CTLR FOR SEQUENCING; AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THERE WERE SEVERAL FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROB. I WAS RUSTY ON RESERVOIR IDENT. THE INSTRUCTOR WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE PRACTICE AREA. IF WE HAD BEEN AT 2500 FT MSL; WE WOULD HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE THE CLASS C -- I USUALLY OPERATE AT 2500 FT TO/FROM THE PRACTICE AREA.