Narrative:

Taxied out for takeoff runway 18R tpa (wind 250 degrees at 10 KTS). Line of solid thunderstorms west through northeast just north of airport. Holding short of runway (#1 for takeoff) due to several landing air carrier aircraft. Landing aircraft having difficulty staying clear of thunderstorms on approach. Lndgs suspended to south and tpa ATC decided to go to a north operation with about 6 aircraft waiting for departure on runway 18R. We asked tower for a takeoff to the south (away from the thunderstorm, clear to south). Tpa tower denied this request and instructed all aircraft to taxi down the runway and onto a parallel taxiway to runway 36L and change to ground control. 1 B727 departed runway 36L while we were still on ground control frequency. There were then several air carrier lndgs on runway 36L while we were #1 for takeoff. Tower cleared us into position and hold after 1 landing and in position the radar showed a solid line of strong (red) storms north through east about 2 mi north of airport, but there was a good sized gap in the line to the northwest (310-320 degrees). Tower cleared us for takeoff when previous landing cleared runway. We acknowledged clearance and told tower that we needed a 310 degree heading immediately after takeoff. Tower denied our request and told us to maintain runway heading and cleared for immediate takeoff or clear runway (traffic on final). I refused takeoff clearance with this heading and began to taxi to clear runway. However, the first available taxiway (due to aircraft on parallel taxiway) was about 4000 ft down the runway. Aircraft on final had to go around (he circled VFR and landed on runway 36R). We cleared runway and were directed to the other side of the airport (runway 36R) for departure. Numerous aircraft were allowed to depart before us off of both runway 36L&right and all were allowed to turn to the northwest (320 degree heading) to fly through the gap in the line of thunderstorm. On our departure (originally #1 for takeoff, now last) we asked for and this time received clearance for a 320 degree heading to fly through the gap in the line of thunderstorm. Takeoff and remainder of flight normal. Supplemental information from acn 281188: requested southerly departure (still VFR to south). Tower refused due arrs. Taxied to runway 36L. When cleared into position, requested to 'take a look' at radar. Thunderstorms still north and west of field about 3-4 mi out. Aircraft departing runway 36R were flying 310 degree or 320 degree heading. To go through gap in thunderstorms.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DELAYED DEP DUE TO WX AND RWY CONFIGN CHANGE.

Narrative: TAXIED OUT FOR TKOF RWY 18R TPA (WIND 250 DEGS AT 10 KTS). LINE OF SOLID TSTMS W THROUGH NE JUST N OF ARPT. HOLDING SHORT OF RWY (#1 FOR TKOF) DUE TO SEVERAL LNDG ACR ACFT. LNDG ACFT HAVING DIFFICULTY STAYING CLR OF TSTMS ON APCH. LNDGS SUSPENDED TO S AND TPA ATC DECIDED TO GO TO A N OP WITH ABOUT 6 ACFT WAITING FOR DEP ON RWY 18R. WE ASKED TWR FOR A TKOF TO THE S (AWAY FROM THE TSTM, CLR TO S). TPA TWR DENIED THIS REQUEST AND INSTRUCTED ALL ACFT TO TAXI DOWN THE RWY AND ONTO A PARALLEL TXWY TO RWY 36L AND CHANGE TO GND CTL. 1 B727 DEPARTED RWY 36L WHILE WE WERE STILL ON GND CTL FREQ. THERE WERE THEN SEVERAL ACR LNDGS ON RWY 36L WHILE WE WERE #1 FOR TKOF. TWR CLRED US INTO POS AND HOLD AFTER 1 LNDG AND IN POS THE RADAR SHOWED A SOLID LINE OF STRONG (RED) STORMS N THROUGH E ABOUT 2 MI N OF ARPT, BUT THERE WAS A GOOD SIZED GAP IN THE LINE TO THE NW (310-320 DEGS). TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF WHEN PREVIOUS LNDG CLRED RWY. WE ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC AND TOLD TWR THAT WE NEEDED A 310 DEG HDG IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF. TWR DENIED OUR REQUEST AND TOLD US TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG AND CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF OR CLR RWY (TFC ON FINAL). I REFUSED TKOF CLRNC WITH THIS HDG AND BEGAN TO TAXI TO CLR RWY. HOWEVER, THE FIRST AVAILABLE TXWY (DUE TO ACFT ON PARALLEL TXWY) WAS ABOUT 4000 FT DOWN THE RWY. ACFT ON FINAL HAD TO GAR (HE CIRCLED VFR AND LANDED ON RWY 36R). WE CLRED RWY AND WERE DIRECTED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ARPT (RWY 36R) FOR DEP. NUMEROUS ACFT WERE ALLOWED TO DEPART BEFORE US OFF OF BOTH RWY 36L&R AND ALL WERE ALLOWED TO TURN TO THE NW (320 DEG HDG) TO FLY THROUGH THE GAP IN THE LINE OF TSTM. ON OUR DEP (ORIGINALLY #1 FOR TKOF, NOW LAST) WE ASKED FOR AND THIS TIME RECEIVED CLRNC FOR A 320 DEG HDG TO FLY THROUGH THE GAP IN THE LINE OF TSTM. TKOF AND REMAINDER OF FLT NORMAL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 281188: REQUESTED SOUTHERLY DEP (STILL VFR TO S). TWR REFUSED DUE ARRS. TAXIED TO RWY 36L. WHEN CLRED INTO POS, REQUESTED TO 'TAKE A LOOK' AT RADAR. TSTMS STILL N AND W OF FIELD ABOUT 3-4 MI OUT. ACFT DEPARTING RWY 36R WERE FLYING 310 DEG OR 320 DEG HDG. TO GO THROUGH GAP IN TSTMS.

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.