Narrative:

Mlb tower controller issued takeoff clearance and said 'maintain 2000 ft' instead of the standard climb out to 5000 ft. At about 1500 ft MSL, 1 NM west of mlb, TCASII activated. Sequence was 'traffic, traffic,' then 'descend, descend now.' as we lowered the nose we saw a C17 at approximately 3 NM and 12 O'clock, at about 2000 ft MSL. We leveled about 2000 ft with the C17 head- on at about 2 NM. We then performed an evasive maneuver to pass below and right of the C17. At last sight, the C17 was about 1 NM away and 300 ft above. No reaction by the C17 was observed. We notified ATC of our intent to file a near midair report. Apparently, the C17 was in class D airspace without ATC clearance, as ATC advised us they did not have the C17 on radar and were not talking to him. Observing existing regulations would solve the problem. Supplemental information from acn 400293: this is very congested airspace and the C17's often use this base (patrick) because it is only 1 of 3 bases we can accomplish required short field approachs. Because I was on a training mission I was very busy in our cockpit. I believe there are several problems here: 1) high traffic congestion and C17 flying VFR because we fly VR1007 and are unable to pick up IFR clearance because of the radios (we had an IFR flight plan already filed). 2) equipment incompatibility between military (C17) aircraft xponders and ATC controllers' equipment. I often hear that controllers are unable to pick up our transponder and to recycle or try another transponder (we only have 1). 3) lack of TCASII on C17 and other military aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 ACFT DEPARTING ARPT HAD CONFLICT WITH MIL C17 XING THE ARPT. LCL CTLR WAS UNAWARE OF APCHING C17 DUE TO LACK OF COORD WITH PATRICK AFB RAPCON. QUESTIONABLE XPONDER ASSIGNMENT OF C17.

Narrative: MLB TWR CTLR ISSUED TKOF CLRNC AND SAID 'MAINTAIN 2000 FT' INSTEAD OF THE STANDARD CLBOUT TO 5000 FT. AT ABOUT 1500 FT MSL, 1 NM W OF MLB, TCASII ACTIVATED. SEQUENCE WAS 'TFC, TFC,' THEN 'DSND, DSND NOW.' AS WE LOWERED THE NOSE WE SAW A C17 AT APPROX 3 NM AND 12 O'CLOCK, AT ABOUT 2000 FT MSL. WE LEVELED ABOUT 2000 FT WITH THE C17 HEAD- ON AT ABOUT 2 NM. WE THEN PERFORMED AN EVASIVE MANEUVER TO PASS BELOW AND R OF THE C17. AT LAST SIGHT, THE C17 WAS ABOUT 1 NM AWAY AND 300 FT ABOVE. NO REACTION BY THE C17 WAS OBSERVED. WE NOTIFIED ATC OF OUR INTENT TO FILE A NEAR MIDAIR RPT. APPARENTLY, THE C17 WAS IN CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT ATC CLRNC, AS ATC ADVISED US THEY DID NOT HAVE THE C17 ON RADAR AND WERE NOT TALKING TO HIM. OBSERVING EXISTING REGS WOULD SOLVE THE PROB. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 400293: THIS IS VERY CONGESTED AIRSPACE AND THE C17'S OFTEN USE THIS BASE (PATRICK) BECAUSE IT IS ONLY 1 OF 3 BASES WE CAN ACCOMPLISH REQUIRED SHORT FIELD APCHS. BECAUSE I WAS ON A TRAINING MISSION I WAS VERY BUSY IN OUR COCKPIT. I BELIEVE THERE ARE SEVERAL PROBS HERE: 1) HIGH TFC CONGESTION AND C17 FLYING VFR BECAUSE WE FLY VR1007 AND ARE UNABLE TO PICK UP IFR CLRNC BECAUSE OF THE RADIOS (WE HAD AN IFR FLT PLAN ALREADY FILED). 2) EQUIP INCOMPATIBILITY BTWN MIL (C17) ACFT XPONDERS AND ATC CTLRS' EQUIP. I OFTEN HEAR THAT CTLRS ARE UNABLE TO PICK UP OUR XPONDER AND TO RECYCLE OR TRY ANOTHER XPONDER (WE ONLY HAVE 1). 3) LACK OF TCASII ON C17 AND OTHER MIL ACFT.

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.