Narrative:

While climbing out of ord, ZAU assigned us a speed of 300 KTS to climb to FL330. Through 14200 ft, center told us to level at 15000 ft. At this time we were climbing through various layers of building cumulous, encountering continuous light on the climb out. Upon leveling at 15000 ft, we encountered continuous moderate turbulence, where upon the captain brought back the power to approximately an indicated speed of 280 KIAS. Shortly thereafter, center asked for our indicated speed and I replied 280 KIAS and that we had just slowed due to turbulence, whereupon the controller replied that we needed to tell him if we needed to slow. I saw no sense in arguing with him, and as soon as we cleared the area of WX we resumed our speed. This was only momentary mind you, and I saw no traffic conflict situation. Our nearest traffic displayed on our TCASII was approximately 5 mi behind and 3000 ft above us.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC SLOWS ACFT FOR TURB, DOES NOT NOTIFY ATC OF SPD CHANGE.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT OF ORD, ZAU ASSIGNED US A SPD OF 300 KTS TO CLB TO FL330. THROUGH 14200 FT, CTR TOLD US TO LEVEL AT 15000 FT. AT THIS TIME WE WERE CLBING THROUGH VARIOUS LAYERS OF BUILDING CUMULOUS, ENCOUNTERING CONTINUOUS LIGHT ON THE CLBOUT. UPON LEVELING AT 15000 FT, WE ENCOUNTERED CONTINUOUS MODERATE TURB, WHERE UPON THE CAPT BROUGHT BACK THE PWR TO APPROX AN INDICATED SPD OF 280 KIAS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CTR ASKED FOR OUR INDICATED SPD AND I REPLIED 280 KIAS AND THAT WE HAD JUST SLOWED DUE TO TURB, WHEREUPON THE CTLR REPLIED THAT WE NEEDED TO TELL HIM IF WE NEEDED TO SLOW. I SAW NO SENSE IN ARGUING WITH HIM, AND AS SOON AS WE CLRED THE AREA OF WX WE RESUMED OUR SPD. THIS WAS ONLY MOMENTARY MIND YOU, AND I SAW NO TFC CONFLICT SIT. OUR NEAREST TFC DISPLAYED ON OUR TCASII WAS APPROX 5 MI BEHIND AND 3000 FT ABOVE US.

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.