Narrative:

Left pbi approximately XA30. Flight papers indicated no sigmets -- airmets for route of flight. Scattered thunderstorms earlier along coast on way down. No further information from dispatch except to add fuel, due to possible en route WX. No radar summary, map information, or other information available in pbi operations!!! Departed as per ATC clearance via AR7. This aircraft is barely legal to fly this routing (FAA permit), due to lack of rafts on board, no HF radio, and just VOR/ADF navigation. Just north of freeport, large line of WX (solid) approximately 150 mi long, moving east along AR1 and AR7. (North to south). We tell ATC -- line is solid, they say deviation east, we are now committed to overwater routing due to our position. Had to deviate approximately 15-20 mi east of AR3 (northeast of orlando). Slowly worked our way back through a hole approximately 25 mi south of carps (AR3) and rejoined normal route. We tried on 131.17 to call dispatch (airline), no help until south of ilm (30 mi), to alert other flts of our problems. We had no rafts on board, no HF, VOR and ADF navigation not reliable, well beyond special exception granted by FAA. Lack of timely and appropriate information for crew to make an informed decision, poor planning by our dispatch and ATC. Inadequate equipment placed us in a very dangerous position. The dispatchers attempt to save fuel, (under great pressure from company), and the volume of flts he handles, at times nearly 30 flts (his own admission). Fuel gain sharing put in place by company puts personal pressure on dispatch to choose routing of ar rather than safer, alternative, under our limited conditions (regardless of ATC wants). Safety first.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ENCOUNTERS LINE OF TSTM AND DEVIATES OUT TO SEA, BUT NOT OVERWATER EQUIPPED.

Narrative: LEFT PBI APPROX XA30. FLT PAPERS INDICATED NO SIGMETS -- AIRMETS FOR RTE OF FLT. SCATTERED TSTMS EARLIER ALONG COAST ON WAY DOWN. NO FURTHER INFO FROM DISPATCH EXCEPT TO ADD FUEL, DUE TO POSSIBLE ENRTE WX. NO RADAR SUMMARY, MAP INFO, OR OTHER INFO AVAILABLE IN PBI OPS!!! DEPARTED AS PER ATC CLRNC VIA AR7. THIS ACFT IS BARELY LEGAL TO FLY THIS ROUTING (FAA PERMIT), DUE TO LACK OF RAFTS ON BOARD, NO HF RADIO, AND JUST VOR/ADF NAV. JUST N OF FREEPORT, LARGE LINE OF WX (SOLID) APPROX 150 MI LONG, MOVING E ALONG AR1 AND AR7. (N TO S). WE TELL ATC -- LINE IS SOLID, THEY SAY DEV E, WE ARE NOW COMMITTED TO OVERWATER ROUTING DUE TO OUR POS. HAD TO DEVIATE APPROX 15-20 MI E OF AR3 (NE OF ORLANDO). SLOWLY WORKED OUR WAY BACK THROUGH A HOLE APPROX 25 MI S OF CARPS (AR3) AND REJOINED NORMAL RTE. WE TRIED ON 131.17 TO CALL DISPATCH (AIRLINE), NO HELP UNTIL S OF ILM (30 MI), TO ALERT OTHER FLTS OF OUR PROBLEMS. WE HAD NO RAFTS ON BOARD, NO HF, VOR AND ADF NAV NOT RELIABLE, WELL BEYOND SPECIAL EXCEPTION GRANTED BY FAA. LACK OF TIMELY AND APPROPRIATE INFO FOR CREW TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION, POOR PLANNING BY OUR DISPATCH AND ATC. INADEQUATE EQUIP PLACED US IN A VERY DANGEROUS POS. THE DISPATCHERS ATTEMPT TO SAVE FUEL, (UNDER GREAT PRESSURE FROM COMPANY), AND THE VOLUME OF FLTS HE HANDLES, AT TIMES NEARLY 30 FLTS (HIS OWN ADMISSION). FUEL GAIN SHARING PUT IN PLACE BY COMPANY PUTS PERSONAL PRESSURE ON DISPATCH TO CHOOSE ROUTING OF AR RATHER THAN SAFER, ALTERNATIVE, UNDER OUR LIMITED CONDITIONS (REGARDLESS OF ATC WANTS). SAFETY FIRST.

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.