Air carrier widebody transport on oceanic flight requires deviation for WX, experiences communicatio...

Attributes
ACN	151599
Time
Date	199007
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rjtt
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : rjtg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute : pacific enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 107 flight time total : 5700 flight time type : 1765
ASRS Report	151599
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Had to deviation north of course to avoid thunderstorms. At 41 north 160 east requested from tokyo arinc a deviation up to 50 NM north of course and higher altitude. At 41N 161E turned off course due to crossing proximity of thunderstorms. Later tokyo said 'unable return to course', we were now established 20 NM north of course. We told them unable due to thunderstorms. We were then handed over to honolulu and were immediately given course deviation approval and higher altitude. Problem. Too much frequency congestion on commercial with so many flts, position reporting etc, that for too much time elapses between making a request and receiving a response, especially for such 'time critical' phases of flight such as severe WX avoidance. Suggestion. Go right to honolulu especially if eastbound, for any special requests. You then have better direct communications with no language barriers. Tokyo has very difficult time with any out of the ordinary situations. Solutions. Satellite communications directly with ATC. No more HF radios except for backup, satellite tracking for automatic position reporting. More frequencys, separate frequency and controller for requests on HF, fewer flts, and greater sep.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB ON OCEANIC FLT REQUIRES DEVIATION FOR WX, EXPERIENCES COM PROBLEMS WITH TOKYO CENTER.

Narrative: HAD TO DEV N OF COURSE TO AVOID TSTMS. AT 41 N 160 E REQUESTED FROM TOKYO ARINC A DEV UP TO 50 NM N OF COURSE AND HIGHER ALT. AT 41N 161E TURNED OFF COURSE DUE TO XING PROX OF TSTMS. LATER TOKYO SAID 'UNABLE RETURN TO COURSE', WE WERE NOW ESTABLISHED 20 NM N OF COURSE. WE TOLD THEM UNABLE DUE TO TSTMS. WE WERE THEN HANDED OVER TO HONOLULU AND WERE IMMEDIATELY GIVEN COURSE DEV APPROVAL AND HIGHER ALT. PROBLEM. TOO MUCH FREQ CONGESTION ON COMMERCIAL WITH SO MANY FLTS, POS RPTING ETC, THAT FOR TOO MUCH TIME ELAPSES BTWN MAKING A REQUEST AND RECEIVING A RESPONSE, ESPECIALLY FOR SUCH 'TIME CRITICAL' PHASES OF FLT SUCH AS SEVERE WX AVOIDANCE. SUGGESTION. GO RIGHT TO HONOLULU ESPECIALLY IF EBND, FOR ANY SPECIAL REQUESTS. YOU THEN HAVE BETTER DIRECT COMS WITH NO LANGUAGE BARRIERS. TOKYO HAS VERY DIFFICULT TIME WITH ANY OUT OF THE ORDINARY SITUATIONS. SOLUTIONS. SATELLITE COMS DIRECTLY WITH ATC. NO MORE HF RADIOS EXCEPT FOR BACKUP, SATELLITE TRACKING FOR AUTOMATIC POS RPTING. MORE FREQS, SEPARATE FREQ AND CTLR FOR REQUESTS ON HF, FEWER FLTS, AND GREATER SEP.

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.

Air carrier widebody transport on oceanic flight requires deviation for WX, experiences communication problems with tokyo center.