Narrative:

B-737 scheduled air carrier flight out of wichita, ks, eastbound. At 43 DME east of ict, eastbound to mem VORTAC, we were on a vector climbing out of 14000 ft MSL to FL230. At 14000 ft in the climb, ATC reported a VFR aircraft at 16000 ft maneuvering. We observed the aircraft on TCASII and elected to stop our climb at 15000 ft due to cumulus clouds in the area and no visual contact with the traffic. After passing a small buildup we visually acquired a twin aircraft 1000 ft above us, estimate 1/2 mi horizontal. After speaking with ZKC, we found they have a constant battle with manufacturer, flight testing their aircraft in that corridor. Perhaps company might be persuaded to designate an area, mutually beneficial to company and ATC, where flight test might be safely accomplished without conflict to high speed air carrier traffic. Due to the visibility restr by scattered thunderstorms in the area and the non-standard altitude, beech operates VFR, a very real conflict could have existed in this situation. Compliments to ATC for heads up traffic call and TCASII for enhanced monitoring capabilities. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he believes they were talking to center when the traffic point out was made between controller and TCASII indications he feels they were saved from a possible midair. It appears that beechcraft uses this airspace for their testing. They actually had 2 twins maneuvering around the cumulus clouds. Reporter feels when aircraft are in and about the clouds, at IFR altitudes and doing unpredictable maneuvers it is not a safe environment. Add to that being in a jet departure corridor and it is a formula for disaster. Reporter feels strongly that FAA and company need to work out an arrangement for the use of other airspace for their testing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HAS TO LEVEL DUE TO SMT PERFORMING TEST MANEUVERS IN DEP CORRIDOR.

Narrative: B-737 SCHEDULED ACR FLT OUT OF WICHITA, KS, EBOUND. AT 43 DME E OF ICT, EBOUND TO MEM VORTAC, WE WERE ON A VECTOR CLBING OUT OF 14000 FT MSL TO FL230. AT 14000 FT IN THE CLB, ATC RPTED A VFR ACFT AT 16000 FT MANEUVERING. WE OBSERVED THE ACFT ON TCASII AND ELECTED TO STOP OUR CLB AT 15000 FT DUE TO CUMULUS CLOUDS IN THE AREA AND NO VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE TFC. AFTER PASSING A SMALL BUILDUP WE VISUALLY ACQUIRED A TWIN ACFT 1000 FT ABOVE US, ESTIMATE 1/2 MI HORIZ. AFTER SPEAKING WITH ZKC, WE FOUND THEY HAVE A CONSTANT BATTLE WITH MANUFACTURER, FLT TESTING THEIR ACFT IN THAT CORRIDOR. PERHAPS COMPANY MIGHT BE PERSUADED TO DESIGNATE AN AREA, MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO COMPANY AND ATC, WHERE FLT TEST MIGHT BE SAFELY ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT CONFLICT TO HIGH SPD ACR TFC. DUE TO THE VISIBILITY RESTR BY SCATTERED TSTMS IN THE AREA AND THE NON-STANDARD ALT, BEECH OPERATES VFR, A VERY REAL CONFLICT COULD HAVE EXISTED IN THIS SIT. COMPLIMENTS TO ATC FOR HEADS UP TFC CALL AND TCASII FOR ENHANCED MONITORING CAPABILITIES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE BELIEVES THEY WERE TALKING TO CTR WHEN THE TFC POINT OUT WAS MADE BTWN CTLR AND TCASII INDICATIONS HE FEELS THEY WERE SAVED FROM A POSSIBLE MIDAIR. IT APPEARS THAT BEECHCRAFT USES THIS AIRSPACE FOR THEIR TESTING. THEY ACTUALLY HAD 2 TWINS MANEUVERING AROUND THE CUMULUS CLOUDS. RPTR FEELS WHEN ACFT ARE IN AND ABOUT THE CLOUDS, AT IFR ALTS AND DOING UNPREDICTABLE MANEUVERS IT IS NOT A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. ADD TO THAT BEING IN A JET DEP CORRIDOR AND IT IS A FORMULA FOR DISASTER. RPTR FEELS STRONGLY THAT FAA AND COMPANY NEED TO WORK OUT AN ARRANGEMENT FOR THE USE OF OTHER AIRSPACE FOR THEIR TESTING.

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.