TRAINING FLT IN CESSNA T337G. REQUEST FL180; CLRED 3000 FT AND HDG 360 DEGS. BEGAN A DISCUSSION ON THE ACFT AND QUERIED BY CTLR AS TO ALT 4800 FT. CLRED TO MAINTAIN 4800 FT AND CONTACT CTR FOR HIGHER.

Narrative

THIS WAS A TRAINING FLT WITH AN INSTRUCTOR FOR A CTRLINE THRUST CHK OUT; HIGH ALT ENDORSEMENT AND ACFT CHKOUT IN A CESSNA T337G (PRESSURIZED). MY TIME IN THE ACFT BEFORE THE INCIDENT WAS 1.5 DUAL. BEFORE TKOF; I PROGRAMMED THE S-TEC 65 FLT DIRECTOR ALT SELECTOR/ALERTER FOR 18000 FT. NORMALLY I USE A SUCTION CUP BUG ATTACHED TO THE FACE OF THE ALTIMETER TO HELP ME REMEMBER ASSIGNED ALTS. I DID NOT HAVE IT WITH ME ON THIS DAY. AFTER TKOF WE CONTACTED DEP (124.3); TOLD THE CTLR WE WERE AT 1500 FT AND WANTED TO GO TO 18000 FT. WE WERE TEMPORARILY ASSIGNED 3000 FT AND A 360 DEG HDG. I TURNED ON THE FLT DIRECTOR AND SET THE HDG BUG FOR 360 DEGS. THE INSTRUCTOR AND I STARTED OUR DISCUSSION ON HOW EVERYTHING WORKS IN THE AIRPLANE. SUDDENLY; WE WERE CALLED BY THE CTLR INFORMING US THAT WE WERE AT 4800 FT NOT 3000 FT AS ASSIGNED. THE CTLR TOLD US TO STAY AT 4800 FT AND CALL ZFW TO CONTINUE OUR FLT. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL AND WENT AS PLANNED. THIS EVENT WAS CAUSED BY MY NOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE ACFT AND ITS SYS; CONVERSATIONS WITH THE INSTRUCTOR AT THE WRONG TIME; NOT USING AN ALT BUG AS I NORMALLY DO AND NOT PAYING ATTN.