Narrative:

Flight was en route from sju to phl on A554, FL280, about 80 NM south of noogy intersection. A solid line of severe WX about 200 NM wide existed perpendicular to A554 between noogy intersection and rigny intersection (100 NM either side of A554). Clearance was received from ZNY/ny commercial radio to deviate 40 NM west of course (extended to 60 NM west of course). At 60 NM (clearance limit) flight was unable to turn north and unable to obtain further deviation. An emergency was declared for WX and a westerly heading was maintained for 3 mins until 80 NM west of course. After declaring emergency, flight was told to 'standby' by commercial radio. At 80 NM west of course when turn was commenced to parallel A554 (hole in WX was found) commercial radio was advised. Commercial radio then advised new clearance was proceed direct rigny direct bacus, as filed. Several mins later after WX was cleared, flight proceeded as cleared by commercial radio. No potential conflict was observed with other aircraft visually or on TCASII. While this situation 'worked out' (no thunderstorm penetration, no conflict with other aircraft), it points out the difficulty in receiving timely deviations when operating in overwater rtes and relaying requests through commercial radio to center. I'm not sure commercial radio was fully aware that an emergency had been declared, the reasons why and that we had exceeded our clearance limit. In addition he was 'overloaded' with other aircraft requesting deviations. This system is archaic!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 ACFT ENRTE ON OCEANIC AIRWAY ENCOUNTERED SEVERE WX LINE AND HAD TO DEVIATE. RPTR CAPT DECLARED EMER DUE TO TIME DELAY IN RELAYING CLRNC REQUEST THROUGH COMMERCIAL RADIO TO ATC CTR.

Narrative: FLT WAS ENRTE FROM SJU TO PHL ON A554, FL280, ABOUT 80 NM S OF NOOGY INTXN. A SOLID LINE OF SEVERE WX ABOUT 200 NM WIDE EXISTED PERPENDICULAR TO A554 BTWN NOOGY INTXN AND RIGNY INTXN (100 NM EITHER SIDE OF A554). CLRNC WAS RECEIVED FROM ZNY/NY COMMERCIAL RADIO TO DEVIATE 40 NM W OF COURSE (EXTENDED TO 60 NM W OF COURSE). AT 60 NM (CLRNC LIMIT) FLT WAS UNABLE TO TURN N AND UNABLE TO OBTAIN FURTHER DEV. AN EMER WAS DECLARED FOR WX AND A WESTERLY HEADING WAS MAINTAINED FOR 3 MINS UNTIL 80 NM W OF COURSE. AFTER DECLARING EMER, FLT WAS TOLD TO 'STANDBY' BY COMMERCIAL RADIO. AT 80 NM W OF COURSE WHEN TURN WAS COMMENCED TO PARALLEL A554 (HOLE IN WX WAS FOUND) COMMERCIAL RADIO WAS ADVISED. COMMERCIAL RADIO THEN ADVISED NEW CLRNC WAS PROCEED DIRECT RIGNY DIRECT BACUS, AS FILED. SEVERAL MINS LATER AFTER WX WAS CLRED, FLT PROCEEDED AS CLRED BY COMMERCIAL RADIO. NO POTENTIAL CONFLICT WAS OBSERVED WITH OTHER ACFT VISUALLY OR ON TCASII. WHILE THIS SIT 'WORKED OUT' (NO TSTM PENETRATION, NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT), IT POINTS OUT THE DIFFICULTY IN RECEIVING TIMELY DEVS WHEN OPERATING IN OVERWATER RTES AND RELAYING REQUESTS THROUGH COMMERCIAL RADIO TO CTR. I'M NOT SURE COMMERCIAL RADIO WAS FULLY AWARE THAT AN EMER HAD BEEN DECLARED, THE REASONS WHY AND THAT WE HAD EXCEEDED OUR CLRNC LIMIT. IN ADDITION HE WAS 'OVERLOADED' WITH OTHER ACFT REQUESTING DEVS. THIS SYS IS ARCHAIC!

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.