Narrative:

We departed phx on runway 8R. Just after takeoff, tower pointed out traffic ahead about 1 mi and told us to maintain visual with that aircraft, a B737-200. When phx is on runways 8 for departure, both runways converge over the VOR then, out on the 075 degree radial for 4 mi, their sides split. I was the PNF. I told my first officer to power back, that we were catching the B737. He pwred back a bit, but we needed to power back a lot more, so I reduced power back so our indicated speed was about 190 KIAS. That matched their speed and put us about 1/2 mi behind and 1000 ft above. You have to cross the phx VOR at 3000 ft. When we were about 1/2 mi prior to the VOR, my first officer leveled off and he accelerated to 230 KTS. I pwred back more to keep from catching the B737. At that time our TCASII gave us an RA, the B737 was 1/4 - 1/2 mi ahead and 700 ft below. We climbed and canceled the RA at that time as our side split. Departure control never said anything to the B737 or us, we had the aircraft in sight the whole time and there was never a 'safety of flight' concern. I believe we could have slowed sooner to try to hold our mi, but also blame phx tower for takeoffs too close together. When on the runways 8, the airport is basically a single runway operation with both runway departures having to converge over the VOR. Is it more important to make people happy by keeping noise low, or to split the departures for a more efficient operation?

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DEP CL65 RJ OVERTAKES A B737-200 DURING THEIR 'VISUAL SEPARATION' DEP PROC JUST E OF PHX, AZ. A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WAS ANNOUNCED BY THEIR TCASII.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED PHX ON RWY 8R. JUST AFTER TKOF, TWR POINTED OUT TFC AHEAD ABOUT 1 MI AND TOLD US TO MAINTAIN VISUAL WITH THAT ACFT, A B737-200. WHEN PHX IS ON RWYS 8 FOR DEP, BOTH RWYS CONVERGE OVER THE VOR THEN, OUT ON THE 075 DEG RADIAL FOR 4 MI, THEIR SIDES SPLIT. I WAS THE PNF. I TOLD MY FO TO PWR BACK, THAT WE WERE CATCHING THE B737. HE PWRED BACK A BIT, BUT WE NEEDED TO PWR BACK A LOT MORE, SO I REDUCED PWR BACK SO OUR INDICATED SPD WAS ABOUT 190 KIAS. THAT MATCHED THEIR SPD AND PUT US ABOUT 1/2 MI BEHIND AND 1000 FT ABOVE. YOU HAVE TO CROSS THE PHX VOR AT 3000 FT. WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 1/2 MI PRIOR TO THE VOR, MY FO LEVELED OFF AND HE ACCELERATED TO 230 KTS. I PWRED BACK MORE TO KEEP FROM CATCHING THE B737. AT THAT TIME OUR TCASII GAVE US AN RA, THE B737 WAS 1/4 - 1/2 MI AHEAD AND 700 FT BELOW. WE CLBED AND CANCELED THE RA AT THAT TIME AS OUR SIDE SPLIT. DEP CTL NEVER SAID ANYTHING TO THE B737 OR US, WE HAD THE ACFT IN SIGHT THE WHOLE TIME AND THERE WAS NEVER A 'SAFETY OF FLT' CONCERN. I BELIEVE WE COULD HAVE SLOWED SOONER TO TRY TO HOLD OUR MI, BUT ALSO BLAME PHX TWR FOR TKOFS TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. WHEN ON THE RWYS 8, THE ARPT IS BASICALLY A SINGLE RWY OP WITH BOTH RWY DEPS HAVING TO CONVERGE OVER THE VOR. IS IT MORE IMPORTANT TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY BY KEEPING NOISE LOW, OR TO SPLIT THE DEPS FOR A MORE EFFICIENT OP?

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.