F18 PLT; #3 IN A FLT OF 3; HAD AN ALT EXCURSION IN ZTL CLASS E.

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CALL SIGN XYZ WAS A FLT OF 3. AT APPROX XA00 LCL ON MAR/WED/02; OUR FLT WAS SPLIT INTO 2 ELEMENTS. I WAS CALL SIGN XYZ AS A SINGLE AND ASSIGNED FL230 FROM FL220; ON CTR FREQ 254.35. CALL SIGN XYZ WAS CLRED TO ONE SIX THOUSAND; BUT I HEARD SIX THOUSAND AND READ BACK 'CALL SIGN XYZ LEAVING FL230 FOR SIX THOUSAND.' SINCE NO DISCUSSION WAS MADE AS TO WHICH ELEMENT WOULD BE BROUGHT DOWN FIRST; I ASSUMED IT WAS ME BEING GIVEN THE LOWER ALT. IN MY DSCNT; I WAS SWITCHED TO CTR FREQ ON 290.8. THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ON MY PART WHY CTR WOULD ASSIGN ME TO SIX THOUSAND; SO I BRIEFLY LEVELED OFF REACHING ONE SIX THOUSAND AND CHKED IN ON 290.8. I RESPONDED; 'CALL SIGN XYZ PASSING ONE SIX THOUSAND FOR SIX THOUSAND.' CTR REPLIED WITH 'ROGER;' SO I CONTINUED MY DSCNT TO SIX THOUSAND. AS I WAS PASSING 7500 FT; CTR ASKED WHAT MY ALT WAS. I RESPONDED PASSING 7500 FT FOR 6 THOUSAND. HE SAID MY ASSIGNED ALT WAS ONE SIX THOUSAND. I TOLD HIM WHEN I CHKED IN ON HIS FREQ: 'CALL SIGN XYZ WAS PASSING ONE SIX THOUSAND FOR SIX THOUSAND' AND HE ROGERED ME. HE SAID THAT WAS INCORRECT AND WOULD VERIFY. HE THEN COORDINATED A HDOF WITH A FINAL CTLR FOR MY APCH.