Narrative:

We were positioning an empty B744 with no tankering fuel from a us airbase. Our call sign included the suffix 'heavy.' takeoff with full climb thrust was selected to ensure rapid climb above high terrain. Runway was wet. Departures and arrivals use an overlapping corridor between high terrain. Aircraft are not to use exterior lights between 400 ft AGL and FL160. The pilot flying briefed to have exterior lights turned on passing FL160 and it was complied with. ATC uses both VHF and UHF radios; we have only VHF capabilities. Our initial assigned flight level was 270 with an unrestricted climb. After changing to approach it was amended to FL180 to remain clear of a C12 aircraft at FL190. This instruction occurred after passing FL160. I acknowledged the instruction and an aircraft was displayed on TCAS. When the TCAS traffic turned yellow on the display; the pilot flying momentarily maintained the high rate of climb. I announced that 'we will get a RA.' I suggested 'vertical speed; down.' the pilot flying pushed the yoke down and complied with the RA. The left autopilot was engaged and cmd was displayed on the pfd and altitude was the displayed pitch mode. The aircraft had exceptional climb performance and passed through FL180. My attention was focused on the RA display; answering ATC and searching outside for the conflicting aircraft and then noticed that we were passing FL182. The pilot flying was already correcting the level bust at this time but the climb trend was not reversed until passing FL185. These events happened in a matter of seconds! Once the aircraft was returned to FL180; left autopilot cmd was reengaged. The aircraft did not maintain FL180 and the PF disconnected the autopilot and reengaged it again after being further settled at FL180. The suffix of 'heavy' could be misleading to ATC. Perhaps it should not be used in circumstances where climb performance is exceptional. Aircraft performance at low weights are not compensated well by autoflight in the B744. It could be mentioned in training and in manuals. Strict adherence to aircraft exterior lighting requirements consistent with local published procedures. The RA takes precedence over maintaining an altitude and remained displayed through FL180. The RA was being complied with by a reduced climb rate. However there is no protection or cues to stop the climb at an assigned level.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An empty B747-400 repositioning aircraft used rated thrust for takeoff developing exceptional climb performance which resulted in a TCAS RA because of difficulty leveling at FL180 after their assigned FL altitude was changed at 16;000'.

Narrative: We were positioning an empty B744 with no tankering fuel from a US airbase. Our call sign included the suffix 'Heavy.' Takeoff with full climb thrust was selected to ensure rapid climb above high terrain. Runway was wet. Departures and Arrivals use an overlapping corridor between high terrain. Aircraft are not to use exterior lights between 400 FT AGL and FL160. The pilot flying briefed to have exterior lights turned on passing FL160 and it was complied with. ATC uses both VHF and UHF radios; we have only VHF capabilities. Our initial assigned flight level was 270 with an unrestricted climb. After changing to Approach it was amended to FL180 to remain clear of a C12 aircraft at FL190. This instruction occurred after passing FL160. I acknowledged the instruction and an aircraft was displayed on TCAS. When the TCAS traffic turned yellow on the display; the pilot flying momentarily maintained the high rate of climb. I announced that 'we will get a RA.' I suggested 'vertical speed; down.' The pilot flying pushed the yoke down and complied with the RA. The left autopilot was engaged and CMD was displayed on the PFD and ALT was the displayed pitch mode. The aircraft had exceptional climb performance and passed through FL180. My attention was focused on the RA display; answering ATC and searching outside for the conflicting aircraft and then noticed that we were passing FL182. The pilot flying was already correcting the level bust at this time but the climb trend was not reversed until passing FL185. These events happened in a matter of seconds! Once the aircraft was returned to FL180; left autopilot CMD was reengaged. The aircraft did not maintain FL180 and the PF disconnected the autopilot and reengaged it again after being further settled at FL180. The suffix of 'Heavy' could be misleading to ATC. Perhaps it should not be used in circumstances where climb performance is exceptional. Aircraft performance at low weights are not compensated well by autoflight in the B744. It could be mentioned in training and in manuals. Strict adherence to aircraft exterior lighting requirements consistent with local published procedures. The RA takes precedence over maintaining an altitude and remained displayed through FL180. The RA was being complied with by a reduced climb rate. However there is no protection or cues to stop the climb at an assigned level.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.