How does ATC control / separate Airbus Industrie test flights? Airbus is testing a A321 (D-AVXA, flight AIB97XA) around Toulouse this morning. The test is at low altitude, with many speed and altitude changes, including touch and go (maybe rolling slowly on the runway):



Source: FlightRadar24.

This path crosses other commercial routes / VFR aircraft, and it seems unlikely altitude, speed or even position can be anticipated all the time, but could be determined only while in flight.

All these constraints surely mean a specific treatment from ATC. How does ATC control and coordinate this flight with other aircraft? Toulouse Blagnac (LFBO) is open to commercial flights, and this test flight was within or close to Toulouse TMA.
They will be in contact with ATC at all times and ATC can issue a clearance to operate within a defined area or within a specific flight level range, keeping other aircraft out of that area, e.g.


  APP: AIB97XA, cleared for turns and flight level changes in 20NM radius around ABCDE intersection, between FL70 and FL145 at your discretion.


or a bit more standard phraseology:


  APP: AIB97XA, cleared for turns and flight level changes in 20NM radius around ABCDE intersection and maintain block FL70 until FL145.


From what is visible in the French AIP, the TMA airspace of Toulouse has airspace classes D and C from different altitudes up to FL145, also in the area where your mentioned flight happened.




(Source: German NfL 1-251-14 Verfahren Sprechfunk / P. 47)