Narrative:

4 SIGMET's were issued for our route; 3 in the immediate vicinity up to FL400. We were at cruise level FL330. Established on AR8 and radar contact with ZDC we were approaching ohpea where a very large level 3 and maturing thunderstorm cell sat. I asked the first officer to request a deviation perhaps direct orf to avoid the hazardous WX. Center gave us a right turn to 360 degrees. This heading at 45 DME to ecg was sufficient to start but as we went further north; the cell still maturing; we needed another 10 degrees right for a heading of 010 degrees. Center stated he could not approve; the warning area off my right was active. Already in steady light turbulence; occasional moderate; despite having seated the flight attendants and warned the passenger about the ride; continuing on 360 degrees was going to risk life and limb. I abruptly stated to the controller then what I will do then is declare an emergency use of my authority/authorized and turn right 10 degrees. The controller acknowledged as opposed to having the ability to facilitate using military airspace with such hazardous WX is beyond me. The deviation lasted all of 3 mins and then we were cleared direct kalda intersection. 4 sigmets; tops over FL400 and the ATC can't coordination with a military training area reminds me of the same rigid obtuse thinking that prevented the fbi and cia from communicating in order to prevent loss of life on 9/11. We are supposed to be guardians of safety to our traveling public; together. I was able to hold my end up; but very disappointed I had to utilize such measures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 CAPT AGONIZES OVER NOT BEING ABLE TO GET CLRNC INTO A WARNING AREA TO AVOID A TSTM.

Narrative: 4 SIGMET'S WERE ISSUED FOR OUR RTE; 3 IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY UP TO FL400. WE WERE AT CRUISE LEVEL FL330. ESTABLISHED ON AR8 AND RADAR CONTACT WITH ZDC WE WERE APCHING OHPEA WHERE A VERY LARGE LEVEL 3 AND MATURING TSTM CELL SAT. I ASKED THE FO TO REQUEST A DEV PERHAPS DIRECT ORF TO AVOID THE HAZARDOUS WX. CTR GAVE US A R TURN TO 360 DEGS. THIS HDG AT 45 DME TO ECG WAS SUFFICIENT TO START BUT AS WE WENT FURTHER N; THE CELL STILL MATURING; WE NEEDED ANOTHER 10 DEGS R FOR A HDG OF 010 DEGS. CTR STATED HE COULD NOT APPROVE; THE WARNING AREA OFF MY R WAS ACTIVE. ALREADY IN STEADY LIGHT TURB; OCCASIONAL MODERATE; DESPITE HAVING SEATED THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND WARNED THE PAX ABOUT THE RIDE; CONTINUING ON 360 DEGS WAS GOING TO RISK LIFE AND LIMB. I ABRUPTLY STATED TO THE CTLR THEN WHAT I WILL DO THEN IS DECLARE AN EMER USE OF MY AUTH AND TURN R 10 DEGS. THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED AS OPPOSED TO HAVING THE ABILITY TO FACILITATE USING MILITARY AIRSPACE WITH SUCH HAZARDOUS WX IS BEYOND ME. THE DEV LASTED ALL OF 3 MINS AND THEN WE WERE CLRED DIRECT KALDA INTXN. 4 SIGMETS; TOPS OVER FL400 AND THE ATC CAN'T COORD WITH A MIL TRAINING AREA REMINDS ME OF THE SAME RIGID OBTUSE THINKING THAT PREVENTED THE FBI AND CIA FROM COMMUNICATING IN ORDER TO PREVENT LOSS OF LIFE ON 9/11. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GUARDIANS OF SAFETY TO OUR TRAVELING PUBLIC; TOGETHER. I WAS ABLE TO HOLD MY END UP; BUT VERY DISAPPOINTED I HAD TO UTILIZE SUCH MEASURES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.