Narrative:

Lightning strike. No damage found by maintenance inspection. We were vectored through heavy rain. Onboard radar showed green returns only. After landing, I looked at the satellite radar picture. We had flown through a well established line of WX showing a lot of yellow returns along its center. I should have gone in operations in grr before departure and looked at that picture. Our onboard radars are very, very outdated limited tools because of attenuation in heavy rain and difficult tilt management (as demonstrated by many incidents/accident). Suggest: satellite WX picture on board (much-needed technology investment). Heard of several other lightning strike reports that day. Other issue: ATC congestion during bad WX is becoming a safety issue. Several times we heard, 'don't call me, we'll call you' from busy controllers. It becomes difficult to request WX deviations in a sky crowded with airplanes. Several times we were denied our request for deviations. Proper SOP requires declare an emergency to follow WX separation according to fom. However, in spite of the best clearance, how many pilots will make that decision? Most routinely fly closer to thunderstorms than allowed. Suggestion: less flts authority/authorized in airspace (I know, big dollars, but safety first).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CAPT COMPLAINT REGARDING DIFFICULTY COMMUNICATING WITH ATC FOR WX DEV AROUND SEVERE WX CONDITIONS WHEREIN THE ACFT WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

Narrative: LIGHTNING STRIKE. NO DAMAGE FOUND BY MAINT INSPECTION. WE WERE VECTORED THROUGH HVY RAIN. ONBOARD RADAR SHOWED GREEN RETURNS ONLY. AFTER LNDG, I LOOKED AT THE SATELLITE RADAR PICTURE. WE HAD FLOWN THROUGH A WELL ESTABLISHED LINE OF WX SHOWING A LOT OF YELLOW RETURNS ALONG ITS CTR. I SHOULD HAVE GONE IN OPS IN GRR BEFORE DEP AND LOOKED AT THAT PICTURE. OUR ONBOARD RADARS ARE VERY, VERY OUTDATED LIMITED TOOLS BECAUSE OF ATTENUATION IN HVY RAIN AND DIFFICULT TILT MGMNT (AS DEMONSTRATED BY MANY INCIDENTS/ACCIDENT). SUGGEST: SATELLITE WX PICTURE ON BOARD (MUCH-NEEDED TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT). HEARD OF SEVERAL OTHER LIGHTNING STRIKE RPTS THAT DAY. OTHER ISSUE: ATC CONGESTION DURING BAD WX IS BECOMING A SAFETY ISSUE. SEVERAL TIMES WE HEARD, 'DON'T CALL ME, WE'LL CALL YOU' FROM BUSY CTLRS. IT BECOMES DIFFICULT TO REQUEST WX DEVS IN A SKY CROWDED WITH AIRPLANES. SEVERAL TIMES WE WERE DENIED OUR REQUEST FOR DEVS. PROPER SOP REQUIRES DECLARE AN EMER TO FOLLOW WX SEPARATION ACCORDING TO FOM. HOWEVER, IN SPITE OF THE BEST CLRNC, HOW MANY PLTS WILL MAKE THAT DECISION? MOST ROUTINELY FLY CLOSER TO TSTMS THAN ALLOWED. SUGGESTION: LESS FLTS AUTH IN AIRSPACE (I KNOW, BIG DOLLARS, BUT 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.