Narrative:

Flight abcd was held at 15000 ft during climb out due to crossing traffic (military) at 16000 ft. ATC advised each aircraft and each aircraft called traffic in sight. ATC then cleared us to climb to FL200 and maintain visual separation. VNAV climb was commanded, but it became clear that this method of climb would be too slow. At 15200 ft autoplt was disengaged and the aircraft was leveled. As the TCASII came on, aircraft was hand flown back to 15000 ft and when clear of military aircraft, autoplt re-engaged and climbed to FL200.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 AND UNKNOWN MIL ACFT HAD LESS THAN LEGAL SEPARATION.

Narrative: FLT ABCD WAS HELD AT 15000 FT DURING CLBOUT DUE TO XING TFC (MIL) AT 16000 FT. ATC ADVISED EACH ACFT AND EACH ACFT CALLED TFC IN SIGHT. ATC THEN CLRED US TO CLB TO FL200 AND MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION. VNAV CLB WAS COMMANDED, BUT IT BECAME CLR THAT THIS METHOD OF CLB WOULD BE TOO SLOW. AT 15200 FT AUTOPLT WAS DISENGAGED AND THE ACFT WAS LEVELED. AS THE TCASII CAME ON, ACFT WAS HAND FLOWN BACK TO 15000 FT AND WHEN CLR OF MIL ACFT, AUTOPLT RE-ENGAGED AND CLBED TO FL200.

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.