PLT OF AN SMA AT 17500 FT ENCOUNTERS CLOUD BUILD-UPS AND TURB. HE REQUESTS AND IS GRANTED PERMISSION TO CLB ABOVE FL180 AND ISSUED XPONDER CODE. WHEN TRYING TO FILE IFR; PLT IS ADMONISHED BY CTLR FOR BEING ABOVE FL180 WITHOUT A CLRNC.

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WHILE PROCEEDING NBOUND; VFR; AT 17500 FT N OF RDU; I ENCOUNTERED A BUILD-UP THAT APPEARED TO BE AT OR BELOW MY LEVEL. UPON GETTING CLOSER; I ENCOUNTERED HVY CHOP AND SAW THAT I WAS GOING TO FLY INTO THE CLOUD BANK. THESE WERE EARLY FORMING THUNDERHEADS. I HAD BEEN IN TOUCH WITH ZDC FOR THE PRIOR 1/2 HR ADVISING HIM OF MY ALT AND POS. I CALLED HIM AND REQUESTED PERMISSION TO CLB ABOVE FL185 AND WAS GIVEN PERMISSION TO DO SO. I CLBED SLIGHTLY AND THEN WAS CAUGHT BY A STRONG UPDRAFT AND ENDED UP AT FL190. REALIZING THAT AT THIS POINT; I WAS STILL GOING TO GO INTO THE CLOUD BANK; I CALLED AGAIN TO GET SPECIFIC CLRNC AND FILE FOR A FLT PLAN TO PROCEED INTO CTLED AIRSPACE. AT THAT POINT; THE CTLR ACTED SURPRISED AND STATED 'YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ABOVE FL180 WITHOUT A FLT PLAN.' I ALREADY KNEW THAT; BUT HAD EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT I WAS PROCEEDING WITH HIS PERMISSION SINCE WE WERE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER; HE HAD GIVEN ME AN ASSIGNED XPONDER CODE AND I HAD ORAL PERMISSION TO GET OVER WHAT APPEARED TO BE A LIMITED BUILD-UP. AT THIS POINT; HE ANGRILY GAVE ME A MACHINE GUN DELIVERY OF A CLRNC WHICH I HAD TO HAVE HIM REPEAT. HE SEEMED QUITE ANNOYED WHEN HE HAD TO REPEAT IT. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF; WHEN I ADVISED HIM THAT I WAS VFR AND NEEDED TO PROCEED ABOVE FL180; HE COULD HAVE RESPONDED THAT HE COULD NOT DO SO WITHOUT GRANTING ME A CLRNC. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE PREFERABLE THAN ALLOWING ME TO GO ABOVE FL180 AND THEN ADMONISHING ME FOR DOING SO. IF THE CTLR HEARS THAT THE PLT IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING THAT THE CTLR KNOWS HE HAS TO HAVE CLRNC TO DO (EVEN THOUGH THE PLT IS STILL IN CONTACT WITH THE CTLR AND ALREADY HAS AN ASSIGNED XPONDER CODE); THE CTLR SHOULD XMIT THE RESTR TO THE PLT RATHER THAN LETTING THE PLT PROCEED INTO 'FORBIDDEN AIRSPACE' AND THEN ADMONISHING HIM FOR DOING SO.