FLC WAS ADVISED OF CONFLICTING TFC AND ITS ALT. RPTR FLC WAS AT 2500 FT AND TFC RPTED AT 2400 FT. RPTR INSTRUCTOR AND TRAINEE LOOKED FOR; BUT DIDN'T SEE THE INTRUDER UNTIL TWR RPTED 100 FT VERT SEPARATION AND 1000 FT HORIZ. RPTR SAYS THEY SHOULD HAVE DSNDED EARLIER; BUT THOUGHT ATC WOULD PROVIDE MORE INFO AND THAT THEY HAD MORE TIME TO LOCATE TFC.

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WE CALLED APCH ABOUT 3 MI W OF PLAINWELL AND RADAR CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED. ALMOST AT ONCE WE WERE PASSED TO KALAMAZOO TWR. A MIN OR TWO WENT BY AND THEY CALLED TFC 9 TO 10 O'CLOCK 5 MI WBOUND. ALT INDICATES 2400 FT. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE XMISSION AND WENT TO EXTRA SCANNING MODE. IN THAT AREA; TO MY SURPRISE NEITHER I NOR THE STUDENT SAW THE AIRPLANE. OUR HDG WAS 150 DEGS APPROX. I DECIDED TO HOLD WHAT I HAD FOR THE MOMENT AND FIND THE ACFT BEFORE MAKING A MOVE. I DID NOT KNOW WHERE THE OTHER WAS HEADED OR ITS TYPE. I SUSPECTED IT MIGHT BE CLBING OUT OF BATTLE CREEK. I ALSO EXPECTED ADDITIONAL HELP FROM ATC. I GOT NO ADDITIONAL HELP FROM ATC UNTIL JUST AFTER I SAW THE OTHER ACFT. HE SAID WE SHOW WITHIN 100 FT VERT SEPARATION AND I WOULD ESTIMATE 1000+ FT HORIZ SEPARATION. THE OTHER ACFT PASSED BEHIND MINE; A MOONEY WITH A MUCH HIGHER SPD THAN MY 150 KTS. TWO THINGS; I SHOULD HAVE DSNDED AT THE FIRST CALL; BUT REALLY ASSUMED MORE TIME THAN I HAD. DURING THIS WHOLE AFFAIR WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE ACFT. THE STUDENT HAD THE OPPOSITE REACTION AND CLBED VERY SLIGHTLY ABOUT 250-350 FT AND THIS OLD AIRPLANE HAD THE ALTIMETER HIDDEN BEHIND THE STUDENT'S L KNEE. WILL ALSO DO MORE WING LIFTS TO CLR THE AREA IN THE FUTURE.