Narrative:

On mar/tue/95, our flight departed guantanamo bay naval air station. After takeoff from runway 10, it became apparent that it would be impossible to remain clear of clouds and at the same time, follow the departure procedure (track the 150 degree radial of nbw VOR to 15 NM). Therefore, a turn to the east was initiated at 13 NM. When the turn to the east was completed, 2 options were then available: 1) continue the turn to the north to remain clear of the clouds and risk overflying cuban airspace or, 2) avoid cuban airspace and penetrate the clouds. We elected to penetrate the clouds knowing that our aircraft was the only aircraft operating within the guantanamo airspace at the time since no TA had been issued by guantanamo radar. Aircraft operating in and out of guantanamo bay naval air station fall under the jurisdiction of the united states military. While in guantanamo airspace, aircraft separation is achieved by utilizing the 'see and avoid' concept and following published arrival and departure procedures. 'Guantanamo radar' transmits on frequency 134.1, the location of all aircraft operating within guantanamo airspace. However, this is 'advisory information' only and guantanamo radar has no authority/authorized to control aircraft. Their primary function is to prevent the penetration of cuban airspace by civilian or military aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMC IN VFR FLT - DEV FROM CLRNC RTE - FLC DEPARTING MUGM ON A VFR DEP DECIDES TO TURN OFF RTE AND FLY INTO CLOUDS IN ORDER TO STAY CLR OF CUBAN AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON MAR/TUE/95, OUR FLT DEPARTED GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL AIR STATION. AFTER TKOF FROM RWY 10, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO REMAIN CLR OF CLOUDS AND AT THE SAME TIME, FOLLOW THE DEP PROC (TRACK THE 150 DEG RADIAL OF NBW VOR TO 15 NM). THEREFORE, A TURN TO THE E WAS INITIATED AT 13 NM. WHEN THE TURN TO THE E WAS COMPLETED, 2 OPTIONS WERE THEN AVAILABLE: 1) CONTINUE THE TURN TO THE N TO REMAIN CLR OF THE CLOUDS AND RISK OVERFLYING CUBAN AIRSPACE OR, 2) AVOID CUBAN AIRSPACE AND PENETRATE THE CLOUDS. WE ELECTED TO PENETRATE THE CLOUDS KNOWING THAT OUR ACFT WAS THE ONLY ACFT OPERATING WITHIN THE GUANTANAMO AIRSPACE AT THE TIME SINCE NO TA HAD BEEN ISSUED BY GUANTANAMO RADAR. ACFT OPERATING IN AND OUT OF GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL AIR STATION FALL UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES MIL. WHILE IN GUANTANAMO AIRSPACE, AIRCRAFT SEPARATION IS ACHIEVED BY UTILIZING THE 'SEE AND AVOID' CONCEPT AND FOLLOWING PUBLISHED ARR AND DEP PROCS. 'GUANTANAMO RADAR' XMITS ON FREQ 134.1, THE LOCATION OF ALL ACFT OPERATING WITHIN GUANTANAMO AIRSPACE. HOWEVER, THIS IS 'ADVISORY INFO' ONLY AND GUANTANAMO RADAR HAS NO AUTH TO CTL ACFT. THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTION IS TO PREVENT THE PENETRATION OF CUBAN AIRSPACE BY CIVILIAN OR MIL ACFT.

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.