Narrative:

Our aircraft was departing runway 19 at eglin AFB, fl, for a local VFR training flight. Passenger of our aircraft included self (CFI) and student pilot. Student was PF. Standard procedure for aeronautical club departures from runway 19 include a climbing left turn prior to end of runway (intersecting runways) to approximately 040 degrees and a leveloff at 1100 ft MSL. Approximately 2-3 NM east of the airfield, local controller gave handoff to departure. It was at this time that student was attempting to level at 1100 ft MSL. As the instructor switched frequencys to departure, the student pilot climbed through altitude to approximately 1300 ft MSL and leveled off. At instructor's direction, student then descended and maintained 1100 ft MSL plus or minus 50 ft. During initial contact with departure control, and still within 3 mi of airfield, departure control advised that 'VFR climb is approved' without request being made by our aircraft. We maintained 1100 ft MSL until 5-6 NM nne of airfield and then climbed to 2000 ft MSL. The rest of the flight was continued without incident. After termination of the flight, I was informed by the pilot of an F-15 aircraft that he had come within 1/4 - 1/2 mi of our aircraft while he was operating VFR in closed traffic on runway 19. Pilot of F-15 aircraft was apparently northbound or turning northbound for a 1600 ft MSL downwind to runway 19 when he noticed a traffic conflict with our aircraft that he described as potentially hazardous had he not seen us. Pilot of F-15 also related to me that he was communicating with local controller who had not advised him of our presence. Likewise, ATC never advised me of the presence of the F-15. Factors contributing to me not seeing the other aircraft may include the following: the F-15 was apparently above us by approximately 300 ft approaching from the 3-4 O'clock position while we were in a high wing aircraft, preoccupation of the low time student with basic aircraft control during leveloff, and preoccupation of the instructor with the ATC handoff.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TFC PATTERN CONFLICT BTWN AN SMA AND A FIGHTER.

Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS DEPARTING RWY 19 AT EGLIN AFB, FL, FOR A LCL VFR TRAINING FLT. PAX OF OUR ACFT INCLUDED SELF (CFI) AND STUDENT PLT. STUDENT WAS PF. STANDARD PROC FOR AERO CLUB DEPS FROM RWY 19 INCLUDE A CLBING L TURN PRIOR TO END OF RWY (INTERSECTING RWYS) TO APPROX 040 DEGS AND A LEVELOFF AT 1100 FT MSL. APPROX 2-3 NM E OF THE AIRFIELD, LCL CTLR GAVE HDOF TO DEP. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT STUDENT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LEVEL AT 1100 FT MSL. AS THE INSTRUCTOR SWITCHED FREQS TO DEP, THE STUDENT PLT CLBED THROUGH ALT TO APPROX 1300 FT MSL AND LEVELED OFF. AT INSTRUCTOR'S DIRECTION, STUDENT THEN DSNDED AND MAINTAINED 1100 FT MSL PLUS OR MINUS 50 FT. DURING INITIAL CONTACT WITH DEP CTL, AND STILL WITHIN 3 MI OF AIRFIELD, DEP CTL ADVISED THAT 'VFR CLB IS APPROVED' WITHOUT REQUEST BEING MADE BY OUR ACFT. WE MAINTAINED 1100 FT MSL UNTIL 5-6 NM NNE OF AIRFIELD AND THEN CLBED TO 2000 FT MSL. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS CONTINUED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER TERMINATION OF THE FLT, I WAS INFORMED BY THE PLT OF AN F-15 ACFT THAT HE HAD COME WITHIN 1/4 - 1/2 MI OF OUR ACFT WHILE HE WAS OPERATING VFR IN CLOSED TFC ON RWY 19. PLT OF F-15 ACFT WAS APPARENTLY NBOUND OR TURNING NBOUND FOR A 1600 FT MSL DOWNWIND TO RWY 19 WHEN HE NOTICED A TFC CONFLICT WITH OUR ACFT THAT HE DESCRIBED AS POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS HAD HE NOT SEEN US. PLT OF F-15 ALSO RELATED TO ME THAT HE WAS COMMUNICATING WITH LCL CTLR WHO HAD NOT ADVISED HIM OF OUR PRESENCE. LIKEWISE, ATC NEVER ADVISED ME OF THE PRESENCE OF THE F-15. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO ME NOT SEEING THE OTHER ACFT MAY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: THE F-15 WAS APPARENTLY ABOVE US BY APPROX 300 FT APCHING FROM THE 3-4 O'CLOCK POS WHILE WE WERE IN A HIGH WING ACFT, PREOCCUPATION OF THE LOW TIME STUDENT WITH BASIC ACFT CTL DURING LEVELOFF, AND PREOCCUPATION OF THE INSTRUCTOR WITH THE ATC HDOF.

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.