SMA MIL TRAINER HAS NMAC WITH SAME IN PRACTICE AREA.

Narrative

CLOSE TO THE RAINBOW VALLEY ARPT; MY STUDENT PRACTICED A LAZY 8 IN AN SMA X. THIS WAS INITIATED AT 4000 FT MSL PERPENDICULAR TO A GAS LINE AS REF LINE. AFTER THE CLRING TURNS; AND NOT SEEING ANY ACFT; WE STARTED OUR CLBING TURNS SBOUND TO THE R. AT THAT TIME WE SAW ANOTHER SMA COMING FROM OUR 3 O'CLOCK POS FLYING THROUGH OUR INTENDED FLT PATH. WE DISCONTINUED THIS MANEUVER AND REESTABLISHED OUR 4000 FT MSL IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE EYE CONTACT WAS LOST TO THE DISAPPEARING ACFT. AFTER THE SECOND TRY TO FLY THE LAZY 8; WE SAW AGAIN AN SMA IN THE SAME COMPANY COLORS; XING OUR INTENDED FLT PATH FROM THE R TO THE L; APPROX 500 FT HIGHER THAN WE WERE. ASSUMING IT WAS THE SAME AIRPLANE AS BEFORE; OBVIOUSLY NOT CLRING HIS AIRSPACE; I DECIDED TO TAKE THE CTLS TO READ THE NUMBERS. AS WE TURNED IN BEHIND THE OTHER ACFT; WE NOTICED THAT THIS ACFT WAS STARTING TO TURN TO THE L AND R. BY THAT TIME IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO READ THE NUMBERS SAFELY. AS THE AIRSPD SUDDENLY REDUCED AND THE SMA DSNDED; I STAYED BEHIND AND ABOVE HIM WITH SOME S-TURNS NOT TO OVERTAKE HIM. THEN IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THE SMA WAS STABILIZING ITS MOVEMENTS. THIS WAS THE MOMENT WHEN I TOOK THE CHANCE TO OVERTAKE HIM ON HIS R SIDE. BECAUSE OF MY ALT ADVANTAGE I COULD EASILY ACCELERATE AND PASS WITH AN APPROX 30 KT OVERSPD IN A SAFE DISTANCE. I ASKED MY STUDENT TO WRITE DOWN THE TAIL NUMBER. THIS WAS MADE OUT OF A DISTANCE WHERE THE READING WAS QUITE HARD TO DO. WE LEFT THIS AIRPLANE IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION TO CONTINUE OUR MISSION IN A DIFFERENT AREA. THIS WHOLE HAPPENING TOOK ABOUT 3 MINS; STARTING FROM BREAKING OFF MY SECOND ATTEMPT OF A LAZY 8 UNTIL READING THE NUMBERS. SINCE IT IS ONE OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS A FLT STANDARDS OFFICER IN MY SQUADRON; TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT PROPER CLRING TECHNIQUES ARE USED; I THOUGHT IT NECESSARY TO IDENT THE OTHER ACFT; SO I COULD DISCUSS IT PERSONALLY WITH THIS PLT INVOLVED. DURING THE WHOLE ENCOUNTER I TOOK EVERY PRECAUTION NOT TO GIVE THE APPEARANCE THAT I WAS TRYING TO ENDANGER THE OTHER ACFT IN ANY WAY. THIS IS WHY I STAYED BEHIND HIM; AS DESCRIBED ABOVE; UNTIL HE HAD SETTLED DOWN AND STOPPED MANEUVERING. AFTER LNDG I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH THE OTHER PLT AND I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THE PROB WAS RESOLVED.