Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 184; Flight Crew Type 173
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Human-Machine Interface; Training / Qualification
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
During a training flight conducted on an IFR flight plan in VMC conditions at 4;000 ft. another airplane appeared on the TIS (Traffic Information System) contained within our aircraft showing a heading that would cross directly in front of us at the approximate same time as us. The target showed to be 500 ft. below us and climbing. I began to make a call on Cleveland Center to request a climb for traffic avoidance but my instructor initiated a climb once we saw the TIS system report them 300 ft. below us and still closing on our track without us establishing visual contact of the aircraft. A climb was completed to 4;500 ft. and we then saw the light sport aircraft pass directly below us from right to left about 800 ft. below our aircraft while we were still at 4;500 ft. After the traffic had passed below us we immediately informed Cleveland Center of what had occurred and descended back down to 4;000 ft. During the entire situation we had received no notice of the traffic from the controller but were still in VMC therefore responsible for our own traffic avoidance. The alternate option would have been to continue at the same altitude as we had not been given an advisory from the Center Controller to climb; descend; or turn.
[Report narrative contained no additional information.]
Instructor and student on an IFR training flight reported a traffic conflict that required them to deviate from their assigned altitude.