Narrative:

FAA inspector was in jump seat. Captain was flying aircraft with autoplt off. Clearance was to 10000 ft on departure out of dfw. Passing 9000 ft, I reduced climb to 1000 FPM and left climb power selected. Airspeed gradually increased to approximately 280 KTS as I leveled at 10000 ft. This increase in airspeed was intentional. To the best of my memory, I was trained as a B727 flight engineer and first officer that this was preferred method to level off at 10000 ft -- passenger comfort, power changes, etc, and that this was the only time that it was legal to exceed 250 KTS below 10000 ft. I have observed this method numerous times as a B727 and B757 first officer and have done so many, many times myself -- thinking that this was a legal procedure. The inspector, on arrival at tul during a debrief, informed me that my excess speed was not proper and had it been someone else, it might have cost me some time. The debrief concluded that other than that, it was a good flight. It is still my best memory that I was told that the procedure was legal. Unfortunately, I do not know where to find that exception in the regulations if it is in fact legal. Your help in resolving this problem would be appreciated. If this technique is illegal, dissemination to other crew members might be helpful. The inspector did not indicate that any action other than the debrief would be forthcoming.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN FAA INSPECTOR REMINDS AN ACR PLT THAT HIS PROC OF INCREASING SPD ABOVE 250 KTS BELOW 10000 FT WHILE LEVELING AT THAT ALT IS NOT AUTH.

Narrative: FAA INSPECTOR WAS IN JUMP SEAT. CAPT WAS FLYING ACFT WITH AUTOPLT OFF. CLRNC WAS TO 10000 FT ON DEP OUT OF DFW. PASSING 9000 FT, I REDUCED CLB TO 1000 FPM AND LEFT CLB PWR SELECTED. AIRSPD GRADUALLY INCREASED TO APPROX 280 KTS AS I LEVELED AT 10000 FT. THIS INCREASE IN AIRSPD WAS INTENTIONAL. TO THE BEST OF MY MEMORY, I WAS TRAINED AS A B727 FE AND FO THAT THIS WAS PREFERRED METHOD TO LEVEL OFF AT 10000 FT -- PAX COMFORT, PWR CHANGES, ETC, AND THAT THIS WAS THE ONLY TIME THAT IT WAS LEGAL TO EXCEED 250 KTS BELOW 10000 FT. I HAVE OBSERVED THIS METHOD NUMEROUS TIMES AS A B727 AND B757 FO AND HAVE DONE SO MANY, MANY TIMES MYSELF -- THINKING THAT THIS WAS A LEGAL PROC. THE INSPECTOR, ON ARR AT TUL DURING A DEBRIEF, INFORMED ME THAT MY EXCESS SPD WAS NOT PROPER AND HAD IT BEEN SOMEONE ELSE, IT MIGHT HAVE COST ME SOME TIME. THE DEBRIEF CONCLUDED THAT OTHER THAN THAT, IT WAS A GOOD FLT. IT IS STILL MY BEST MEMORY THAT I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROC WAS LEGAL. UNFORTUNATELY, I DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO FIND THAT EXCEPTION IN THE REGS IF IT IS IN FACT LEGAL. YOUR HELP IN RESOLVING THIS PROB WOULD BE APPRECIATED. IF THIS TECHNIQUE IS ILLEGAL, DISSEMINATION TO OTHER CREW MEMBERS MIGHT BE HELPFUL. THE INSPECTOR DID NOT INDICATE THAT ANY ACTION OTHER THAN THE DEBRIEF WOULD BE FORTHCOMING.

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.