Narrative:

En route cruise flight, on an RNAV direct heading of approximately 070 degrees to the 'brigs' intersection (V139 north of sie). Washington ARTCC issues TA to us at approximately 35 west of sie. Traffic '12 O'clock eastbound king air at 17500 ft.' several mins later another issue 'traffic now 1-2 O'clock wbound at 17500 ft, same aircraft, king air doing TCASII training.' at this time the traffic appears on our TCASII and a TA is generated. The traffic continues toward us and as it enters our alert area (of the TCASII) a RA is generated. First 'monitor vertical speed' then within several seconds 'descend, descend now.' up to this point, visual contact had not been made with the conflicting aircraft. I did see the aircraft at the exact time we received the descend command, and the aircraft (king air) appeared to be turning towards us in what could be considered deliberate attempt in generating an RA. ZDC was told of our maneuvers as we descended to approximately 16600 ft until the traffic passed behind us. We then returned to 17000 ft and continued the flight. We queried washington as to the purpose of this aircraft and their 'TCASII training,' and were told only that it had been conducting it for about 2 months. The primary purpose for my submitting this report is my concern that another aircraft would be performing 'TCASII training' visual demonstration of TA's and RA's. Training may be necessary, but not at the sake of other aircraft, and especially air carrier flts. Again, I'm not completely sure what exactly this 'TCASII training' was that ZDC claimed the king air was performing, but I feel it put us in an unnecessary and possibly hazardous situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR RPT OF TCASII TRAINING FLT BY A BE90, OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC. POTENTIAL CONFLICT.

Narrative: ENRTE CRUISE FLT, ON AN RNAV DIRECT HDG OF APPROX 070 DEGS TO THE 'BRIGS' INTXN (V139 N OF SIE). WASHINGTON ARTCC ISSUES TA TO US AT APPROX 35 W OF SIE. TFC '12 O'CLOCK EBOUND KING AIR AT 17500 FT.' SEVERAL MINS LATER ANOTHER ISSUE 'TFC NOW 1-2 O'CLOCK WBOUND AT 17500 FT, SAME ACFT, KING AIR DOING TCASII TRAINING.' AT THIS TIME THE TFC APPEARS ON OUR TCASII AND A TA IS GENERATED. THE TFC CONTINUES TOWARD US AND AS IT ENTERS OUR ALERT AREA (OF THE TCASII) A RA IS GENERATED. FIRST 'MONITOR VERT SPD' THEN WITHIN SEVERAL SECONDS 'DSND, DSND NOW.' UP TO THIS POINT, VISUAL CONTACT HAD NOT BEEN MADE WITH THE CONFLICTING ACFT. I DID SEE THE ACFT AT THE EXACT TIME WE RECEIVED THE DSND COMMAND, AND THE ACFT (KING AIR) APPEARED TO BE TURNING TOWARDS US IN WHAT COULD BE CONSIDERED DELIBERATE ATTEMPT IN GENERATING AN RA. ZDC WAS TOLD OF OUR MANEUVERS AS WE DSNDED TO APPROX 16600 FT UNTIL THE TFC PASSED BEHIND US. WE THEN RETURNED TO 17000 FT AND CONTINUED THE FLT. WE QUERIED WASHINGTON AS TO THE PURPOSE OF THIS ACFT AND THEIR 'TCASII TRAINING,' AND WERE TOLD ONLY THAT IT HAD BEEN CONDUCTING IT FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE FOR MY SUBMITTING THIS RPT IS MY CONCERN THAT ANOTHER ACFT WOULD BE PERFORMING 'TCASII TRAINING' VISUAL DEMONSTRATION OF TA'S AND RA'S. TRAINING MAY BE NECESSARY, BUT NOT AT THE SAKE OF OTHER ACFT, AND ESPECIALLY ACR FLTS. AGAIN, I'M NOT COMPLETELY SURE WHAT EXACTLY THIS 'TCASII TRAINING' WAS THAT ZDC CLAIMED THE KING AIR WAS PERFORMING, BUT I FEEL IT PUT US IN AN UNNECESSARY AND POSSIBLY HAZARDOUS SIT.

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.