LJ25 departure from mdw experienced confusion with ATC's directions during WX deviation procedures.

Attributes
ACN	622432
Time
Date	200406
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Turbulence Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Learjet 25
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 1441 flight time type : 173
ASRS Report	622432
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

We were on radar vectors during the climb phase on a heading of 280 degrees. Departure assigned us to a heading of 310 degrees which would have put us into the center of a storm just off to our right. We advised that we could not accept the clearance which seemed to upset the controller. We advised that we would need another 5-8 mi on the current heading. At that time, we would have to turn to avoid another storm at our 12 O'clock position. We were under the impression that the controller wanted a turn to the northwest as soon as possible, so when we were able, we turned to a heading of 310 degrees. When we advised the controller of this we were heavily criticized for turning to the heading without it being assigned. He asked if there was something we were avoiding and we replied in the affirmative. We then accepted the next heading assignment, left to 220 degrees, sooner than we should have and received a rougher than expected ride in return for our compliance. Some controllers seem inflexible and unwilling to work within the constraints required by flight crews in the process of avoiding dangerous WX. They are easily angered. They don't ask what we can do for them when we are unable to comply with their directions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LJ25 DEP FROM MDW EXPERIENCED CONFUSION WITH ATC'S DIRECTIONS DURING WX DEV PROCS.

Narrative: WE WERE ON RADAR VECTORS DURING THE CLB PHASE ON A HDG OF 280 DEGS. DEP ASSIGNED US TO A HDG OF 310 DEGS WHICH WOULD HAVE PUT US INTO THE CTR OF A STORM JUST OFF TO OUR R. WE ADVISED THAT WE COULD NOT ACCEPT THE CLRNC WHICH SEEMED TO UPSET THE CTLR. WE ADVISED THAT WE WOULD NEED ANOTHER 5-8 MI ON THE CURRENT HDG. AT THAT TIME, WE WOULD HAVE TO TURN TO AVOID ANOTHER STORM AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS. WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE CTLR WANTED A TURN TO THE NW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO WHEN WE WERE ABLE, WE TURNED TO A HDG OF 310 DEGS. WHEN WE ADVISED THE CTLR OF THIS WE WERE HEAVILY CRITICIZED FOR TURNING TO THE HDG WITHOUT IT BEING ASSIGNED. HE ASKED IF THERE WAS SOMETHING WE WERE AVOIDING AND WE REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. WE THEN ACCEPTED THE NEXT HDG ASSIGNMENT, L TO 220 DEGS, SOONER THAN WE SHOULD HAVE AND RECEIVED A ROUGHER THAN EXPECTED RIDE IN RETURN FOR OUR COMPLIANCE. SOME CTLRS SEEM INFLEXIBLE AND UNWILLING TO WORK WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS REQUIRED BY FLT CREWS IN THE PROCESS OF AVOIDING DANGEROUS WX. THEY ARE EASILY ANGERED. THEY DON'T ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THEM WHEN WE ARE UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH THEIR DIRECTIONS.

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.