Narrative:

Aircraft was dispatched with maximum altitude capability of FL350 due to 1 air conditioning pack inoperative. Route of flight dictated filing at FL330. Approximately 45 mins after departure encountered wide area of mature and developing thunderstorms. Amidst layered clouds at varying altitudes. Tops of thunderstorms were well above us and layered cloud tops were between our altitude and FL350. Numerous requests for FL350 were made to allow visual deviations around buildups. These requests were denied. It therefore became necessary to deviate using radar and the occasional visual opportunities. After one such deviation we were cleared direct to fmn. Shortly it became necessary to deviate again and we were asked to report back on course direct fmn. I reported 'coming back direct fmn. Approximately 1 min later we broke out of cloud layer and saw a buildup about 2 mi directly ahead. These buildups were only registering weak returns compared to the mature thunderstorms. Copilot made an immediate turn to the left and I used the brief VFR opportunity to plan our course for the next series of cumulo nimbus. About 1 min after initiating this turn, the controller asked what we were doing. I explained that an immediate deviation had been required. His reply was 'I thought you said you were direct fmn.' a series of non-productive comments were then exchanged culminating with a request to call center when on the ground. I complied and received a voice mail. I left my name and phone number.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR STATED TO AVOID WX HIS ACFT X HAD COMPLETED DEVIATING AND WAS GIVEN A DIRECT ROUTING TO A VOR. BEFORE THEY COULD PROCEED THEY HAD TO DEVIATE AGAIN. FINALLY RPTR TOLD ATC THAT ACFT X WAS PROCEEDING DIRECT THE VOR. AGAIN, IT BECAME NECESSARY TO DEVIATE AGAIN. RPTR DID NOT SAY ANYTHING TO ATC. ATC WAS CONCERNED.

Narrative: ACFT WAS DISPATCHED WITH MAX ALT CAPABILITY OF FL350 DUE TO 1 AIR CONDITIONING PACK INOP. RTE OF FLT DICTATED FILING AT FL330. APPROX 45 MINS AFTER DEP ENCOUNTERED WIDE AREA OF MATURE AND DEVELOPING TSTMS. AMIDST LAYERED CLOUDS AT VARYING ALTS. TOPS OF TSTMS WERE WELL ABOVE US AND LAYERED CLOUD TOPS WERE BTWN OUR ALT AND FL350. NUMEROUS REQUESTS FOR FL350 WERE MADE TO ALLOW VISUAL DEVS AROUND BUILDUPS. THESE REQUESTS WERE DENIED. IT THEREFORE BECAME NECESSARY TO DEVIATE USING RADAR AND THE OCCASIONAL VISUAL OPPORTUNITIES. AFTER ONE SUCH DEV WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO FMN. SHORTLY IT BECAME NECESSARY TO DEVIATE AGAIN AND WE WERE ASKED TO RPT BACK ON COURSE DIRECT FMN. I RPTED 'COMING BACK DIRECT FMN. APPROX 1 MIN LATER WE BROKE OUT OF CLOUD LAYER AND SAW A BUILDUP ABOUT 2 MI DIRECTLY AHEAD. THESE BUILDUPS WERE ONLY REGISTERING WEAK RETURNS COMPARED TO THE MATURE TSTMS. COPLT MADE AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO THE L AND I USED THE BRIEF VFR OPPORTUNITY TO PLAN OUR COURSE FOR THE NEXT SERIES OF CUMULO NIMBUS. ABOUT 1 MIN AFTER INITIATING THIS TURN, THE CTLR ASKED WHAT WE WERE DOING. I EXPLAINED THAT AN IMMEDIATE DEV HAD BEEN REQUIRED. HIS REPLY WAS 'I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WERE DIRECT FMN.' A SERIES OF NON-PRODUCTIVE COMMENTS WERE THEN EXCHANGED CULMINATING WITH A REQUEST TO CALL CTR WHEN ON THE GND. I COMPLIED AND RECEIVED A VOICE MAIL. I LEFT MY NAME AND PHONE NUMBER.

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.