Deviating thunderstorms aircraft not overwater equipped, close to maximum limit from land.

Attributes
ACN	94078
Time
Date	198809
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vrb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 12500
ASRS Report	94078
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Takeoff from fll and climbed on 360 degree heading over atlantic. Route was an alternate plan issued by ATC because of thunderstorms over west florida. With build ups ahead of us, we asked for a west deviation but were given an east one because of traffic. Our attempts to get back on course were denied because we were now on the east side of the southbound flow of traffic. Finally, concerned that we were approaching or exceeding our 50 mi maximum distance from land, I requested a westerly heading for that reason and we were allowed to proceed directly to tlh. Perhaps our controllers did not realize that an medium large transport is not normally equipped with over water rafts and emergency equipment and should not venture more than 50 mi from land.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEVIATING TSTMS ACFT NOT OVERWATER EQUIPPED, CLOSE TO MAXIMUM LIMIT FROM LAND.

Narrative: TKOF FROM FLL AND CLBED ON 360 DEG HDG OVER ATLANTIC. ROUTE WAS AN ALTERNATE PLAN ISSUED BY ATC BECAUSE OF TSTMS OVER W FLORIDA. WITH BUILD UPS AHEAD OF US, WE ASKED FOR A W DEVIATION BUT WERE GIVEN AN E ONE BECAUSE OF TFC. OUR ATTEMPTS TO GET BACK ON COURSE WERE DENIED BECAUSE WE WERE NOW ON THE E SIDE OF THE SBND FLOW OF TFC. FINALLY, CONCERNED THAT WE WERE APCHING OR EXCEEDING OUR 50 MI MAX DISTANCE FROM LAND, I REQUESTED A WESTERLY HDG FOR THAT REASON AND WE WERE ALLOWED TO PROCEED DIRECTLY TO TLH. PERHAPS OUR CTLRS DID NOT REALIZE THAT AN MLG IS NOT NORMALLY EQUIPPED WITH OVER WATER RAFTS AND EMER EQUIP AND SHOULD NOT VENTURE MORE THAN 50 MI FROM LAND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.