Narrative:

Scheduled flight form krsw to katz (southwest florida int'l to atl, GA). Normal departure off runway 6 with a clearance of direct lal, szw, lgc, lgc runway 8 arrival. Departure gave us direct lal and switched us to ZMA. ZMA cleared us to flight level 230. Both visually, and on radar, showed a lot of WX between us and lal, extending to the east a long way. We could see clear sky off to the west toward pie. We requested direct pit then direct szw(seminole) flight plan route. ZMA said fly 330 degrees and he see what he could work out. While on this heading, which was working fine for WX avoidance, miami asked if we could go east because of holding over pit. I asked if we could stay at a lower altitude. Response was, ok, and maintain FL180. After a few more mins, ZMA asked when we could turn back to lal? Also, he needed to climb us 'since we were going the way he didn't want us to go!' we were cleared and climbed to FL230. Couple mins later, now, IFR, lal looked fair for about 40 mils so we started to turn while informing ZMA. They responded with cleared direct szw. Reflecting on this exchange later, we felt, by asking for a lower altitude, we could stay on 330 degrees. Perhaps ZMA felt we would turn to lal with a lower altitude. Staying toward lal was not really a viable option, since an air carrier flight was asking not to hold there because of WX. We were not sure if this could lead to a violation from ZMA or just left as a misunderstanding.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 CAPT RPTED CONFUSION WITH ZMA WHILE TRYING TO REMAIN CLR OF WX ON A FLT TO ATL.

Narrative: SCHEDULED FLT FORM KRSW TO KATZ (SW FLORIDA INT'L TO ATL, GA). NORMAL DEP OFF RWY 6 WITH A CLRNC OF DIRECT LAL, SZW, LGC, LGC RWY 8 ARR. DEP GAVE US DIRECT LAL AND SWITCHED US TO ZMA. ZMA CLRED US TO FLT LEVEL 230. BOTH VISUALLY, AND ON RADAR, SHOWED A LOT OF WX BTWN US AND LAL, EXTENDING TO THE E A LONG WAY. WE COULD SEE CLR SKY OFF TO THE W TOWARD PIE. WE REQUESTED DIRECT PIT THEN DIRECT SZW(SEMINOLE) FLT PLAN RTE. ZMA SAID FLY 330 DEGS AND HE SEE WHAT HE COULD WORK OUT. WHILE ON THIS HDG, WHICH WAS WORKING FINE FOR WX AVOIDANCE, MIAMI ASKED IF WE COULD GO E BECAUSE OF HOLDING OVER PIT. I ASKED IF WE COULD STAY AT A LOWER ALT. RESPONSE WAS, OK, AND MAINTAIN FL180. AFTER A FEW MORE MINS, ZMA ASKED WHEN WE COULD TURN BACK TO LAL? ALSO, HE NEEDED TO CLB US 'SINCE WE WERE GOING THE WAY HE DIDN'T WANT US TO GO!' WE WERE CLRED AND CLBED TO FL230. COUPLE MINS LATER, NOW, IFR, LAL LOOKED FAIR FOR ABOUT 40 MILS SO WE STARTED TO TURN WHILE INFORMING ZMA. THEY RESPONDED WITH CLRED DIRECT SZW. REFLECTING ON THIS EXCHANGE LATER, WE FELT, BY ASKING FOR A LOWER ALT, WE COULD STAY ON 330 DEGS. PERHAPS ZMA FELT WE WOULD TURN TO LAL WITH A LOWER ALT. STAYING TOWARD LAL WAS NOT REALLY A VIABLE OPTION, SINCE AN ACR FLT WAS ASKING NOT TO HOLD THERE BECAUSE OF WX. WE WERE NOT SURE IF THIS COULD LEAD TO A VIOLATION FROM ZMA OR JUST LEFT AS A MISUNDERSTANDING.

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.