Narrative:

Cruising FL350 40 mi south of metta intersection on AR1, we approached line of thunderstorms. Asked controller for west deviation to avoid WX. He said unable because military restr area was active. He assigned me on east heading that would take me directly into the heaviest part of line of thunderstorms and this was after I told him I could not turn east. He knew this WX was there and getting worse. He made no effort to help us, like a call to the military to say that passenger carrying aircraft needed access to area for safety. I finally had to use my emergency authority as a captain to deviate slightly to the west to remain clear of storms. After I declared emergency, he called military and they allowed 23 degree deviations from AR1, and that was left or right of course. Very poor communications between military FAA and pilots. Using the emergency authority is something pilots hate to use because of the paperwork involved. I hate to think what might have happened if a pilot became intimidated and flew into the storm.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT ON OCEAN ROUTE REQUESTED DEVIATION AROUND WX, BUT CENTER UNABLE TO APPROVE. CAPT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND CTLR OBTAINED CLRNC TO PENETRATE MIL RESTRICTED AREA.

Narrative: CRUISING FL350 40 MI S OF METTA INTXN ON AR1, WE APCHED LINE OF TSTMS. ASKED CTLR FOR W DEVIATION TO AVOID WX. HE SAID UNABLE BECAUSE MIL RESTR AREA WAS ACTIVE. HE ASSIGNED ME ON E HDG THAT WOULD TAKE ME DIRECTLY INTO THE HEAVIEST PART OF LINE OF TSTMS AND THIS WAS AFTER I TOLD HIM I COULD NOT TURN E. HE KNEW THIS WX WAS THERE AND GETTING WORSE. HE MADE NO EFFORT TO HELP US, LIKE A CALL TO THE MIL TO SAY THAT PAX CARRYING ACFT NEEDED ACCESS TO AREA FOR SAFETY. I FINALLY HAD TO USE MY EMER AUTHORITY AS A CAPT TO DEVIATE SLIGHTLY TO THE W TO REMAIN CLR OF STORMS. AFTER I DECLARED EMER, HE CALLED MIL AND THEY ALLOWED 23 DEG DEVIATIONS FROM AR1, AND THAT WAS LEFT OR RIGHT OF COURSE. VERY POOR COMS BTWN MIL FAA AND PLTS. USING THE EMER AUTHORITY IS SOMETHING PLTS HATE TO USE BECAUSE OF THE PAPERWORK INVOLVED. I HATE TO THINK WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IF A PLT BECAME INTIMIDATED AND FLEW INTO THE STORM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.