Narrative:

On route A-300 en route jfk -- tist at FL370 120 NM south of champ, I declared an emergency for severe turbulence, turned left off course, and descended to FL330. Several attempts were made for about 15 mins prior to get a lower altitude from N4 arinc because we were in moderate turbulence. N4 was unable to give us a clearance. When the turbulence became severe enough to threaten the safety of persons on board. I deemed it necessary to leave FL370 without clearance from controling agency. Opinion: it is a sorry state of events when in this day with the technology available that we are flying modern airplanes in the kind of uncontrolled unobserved environment such as A-300 and those similar rtes. Arinc seems unable to get any changes to altitude. It may be harder to get coverage in the north atlantic, but it's possible. It should be easy to get coverage on the close-in n-s rtes. Please get the inertia out of those responsible for safety and get the coverage technology permits. There's plenty of money in the aviation fund! We were forced to jeopardize our passenger' safety in the process of ensuring it. Not necessary! Not acceptable!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN OCEANIC FLT DECLARED AN EMER AND TURNED AND DSNDED OFF ASSIGNED RTE AND ALT DUE TO SEVERE TURB.

Narrative: ON RTE A-300 ENRTE JFK -- TIST AT FL370 120 NM S OF CHAMP, I DECLARED AN EMER FOR SEVERE TURB, TURNED L OFF COURSE, AND DSNDED TO FL330. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE FOR ABOUT 15 MINS PRIOR TO GET A LOWER ALT FROM N4 ARINC BECAUSE WE WERE IN MODERATE TURB. N4 WAS UNABLE TO GIVE US A CLRNC. WHEN THE TURB BECAME SEVERE ENOUGH TO THREATEN THE SAFETY OF PERSONS ON BOARD. I DEEMED IT NECESSARY TO LEAVE FL370 WITHOUT CLRNC FROM CTLING AGENCY. OPINION: IT IS A SORRY STATE OF EVENTS WHEN IN THIS DAY WITH THE TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE THAT WE ARE FLYING MODERN AIRPLANES IN THE KIND OF UNCTLED UNOBSERVED ENVIRONMENT SUCH AS A-300 AND THOSE SIMILAR RTES. ARINC SEEMS UNABLE TO GET ANY CHANGES TO ALT. IT MAY BE HARDER TO GET COVERAGE IN THE N ATLANTIC, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE. IT SHOULD BE EASY TO GET COVERAGE ON THE CLOSE-IN N-S RTES. PLEASE GET THE INERTIA OUT OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR SAFETY AND GET THE COVERAGE TECHNOLOGY PERMITS. THERE'S PLENTY OF MONEY IN THE AVIATION FUND! WE WERE FORCED TO JEOPARDIZE OUR PAX' SAFETY IN THE PROCESS OF ENSURING IT. NOT NECESSARY! NOT ACCEPTABLE!

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.