Narrative:

As widebody transport X, we had departed mco and were in a climb northbound for atl. We had been previously cleared to FL230 and then reclred 'direct dbn climb to FL370.' as I was flying the aircraft, in the climb, I noticed traffic at about our 2 O'clock position. Although we were at diverging courses, the other aircraft appeared to be 2-3 mi away and we were to be climbing through his altitude. I queried jax center on 126.35 as to the observed traffic. At this time I was going through FL270 and decreasing the rate of climb. I leveled slightly below FL280. A few moments later we were given a descent to FL270. I asked center for the identify of the other aircraft and center stated that it was widebody transport Y at an assigned altitude of FL290. Not much else was said on the radio regarding the situation. Widebody transport Y, I believe, was on an arwy and we, because of our direct routing, would be going considerably west of him. But, for a brief period of the climb, the spacing it seemed would have been a bit close. At the time of the revised routing and clearance we understood, the first officer read back direct dbn and FL370 and set the altitude reminder. It is my opinion that in certain areas of the country controllers are having to handle more aircraft movements than is sometimes prudent. More manpwr in the ATC system is still badly needed to provide the adequate checks and balances that were once the standard.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR-WDB LEVELED OFF BELOW ASSIGNED ALT TO AVOID LOSS OF SEPARATION WITH ACR-WDB.

Narrative: AS WDB X, WE HAD DEPARTED MCO AND WERE IN A CLB NBOUND FOR ATL. WE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY CLRED TO FL230 AND THEN RECLRED 'DIRECT DBN CLB TO FL370.' AS I WAS FLYING THE ACFT, IN THE CLB, I NOTICED TFC AT ABOUT OUR 2 O'CLOCK POS. ALTHOUGH WE WERE AT DIVERGING COURSES, THE OTHER ACFT APPEARED TO BE 2-3 MI AWAY AND WE WERE TO BE CLBING THROUGH HIS ALT. I QUERIED JAX CENTER ON 126.35 AS TO THE OBSERVED TFC. AT THIS TIME I WAS GOING THROUGH FL270 AND DECREASING THE RATE OF CLB. I LEVELED SLIGHTLY BELOW FL280. A FEW MOMENTS LATER WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT TO FL270. I ASKED CENTER FOR THE IDENT OF THE OTHER ACFT AND CENTER STATED THAT IT WAS WDB Y AT AN ASSIGNED ALT OF FL290. NOT MUCH ELSE WAS SAID ON THE RADIO REGARDING THE SITUATION. WDB Y, I BELIEVE, WAS ON AN ARWY AND WE, BECAUSE OF OUR DIRECT ROUTING, WOULD BE GOING CONSIDERABLY W OF HIM. BUT, FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF THE CLB, THE SPACING IT SEEMED WOULD HAVE BEEN A BIT CLOSE. AT THE TIME OF THE REVISED ROUTING AND CLRNC WE UNDERSTOOD, THE F/O READ BACK DIRECT DBN AND FL370 AND SET THE ALT REMINDER. IT IS MY OPINION THAT IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE COUNTRY CTLRS ARE HAVING TO HANDLE MORE ACFT MOVEMENTS THAN IS SOMETIMES PRUDENT. MORE MANPWR IN THE ATC SYS IS STILL BADLY NEEDED TO PROVIDE THE ADEQUATE CHKS AND BALANCES THAT WERE ONCE THE STANDARD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.