Narrative:

We had been released from the hold at jvl approximately at our efc time of XA14Z by ZAU. During the course of the approximately 1 hour hold at jvl, WX had encroached on the pattern, and center was very helpful to all aircraft to make alternative courses to avoid the WX, including our flight crew. When we changed frequencys to chicago approach (119.0), the controller was attempting to vector us for the runway 9L ILS, and there was extensive WX in the ord approach area. Several times, the controller requested we turn, and we let him know that we could not accept the clearance, as it would have turned us into the heaviest portion of the radar returns. The controller was getting very frustrated with us and told us to contact ZAU, and they would send us back to holding. It was evident that most aircraft on 119.0 couldn't accept the exact turns they were being given due to the extensive WX in the area. We contacted center and asked them if we could have a turn to get on the back side of the WX. The center controller accommodated us, and let us know that they were too busy and area too saturated with aircraft for us to hold in their airspace anyway. We, again, contacted 119.0, and this controller left us on our previously assigned heading. After several mins, we asked how long it would be before we could expect a turn (we were heading away from the area and, again, pointing directly at a strong radar return). He said about 25 mi. We asked for a turn to the left to avoid WX (approximately 230 degrees), and he allowed us to make the turn. He then vectored us in on the runway 9L approach without further WX encounters. The cells in the ord area were extensive and perhaps center released too many aircraft to approach airspace. It was an extremely difficult operating environment to have our options be to either turn into a 'red radar return' or to have to declare an emergency to not have to accept the vectors. Obviously, it didn't get to that point, however, we felt that the approach controller could have originally allowed us to fly around the cell instead of punitively sending us in his words 'back to center to hold.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 FLC DECLINE C90 VECTORS TO RWY 9L FINAL DUE TO WX CELL PROX, ARE RETURNED TO ZAU FOR RESEQUENCING, AND RETURNED TO C90 FOR VECTOR AROUND WX TO FINAL APCH COURSE.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN RELEASED FROM THE HOLD AT JVL APPROX AT OUR EFC TIME OF XA14Z BY ZAU. DURING THE COURSE OF THE APPROX 1 HR HOLD AT JVL, WX HAD ENCROACHED ON THE PATTERN, AND CTR WAS VERY HELPFUL TO ALL ACFT TO MAKE ALTERNATIVE COURSES TO AVOID THE WX, INCLUDING OUR FLT CREW. WHEN WE CHANGED FREQS TO CHICAGO APCH (119.0), THE CTLR WAS ATTEMPTING TO VECTOR US FOR THE RWY 9L ILS, AND THERE WAS EXTENSIVE WX IN THE ORD APCH AREA. SEVERAL TIMES, THE CTLR REQUESTED WE TURN, AND WE LET HIM KNOW THAT WE COULD NOT ACCEPT THE CLRNC, AS IT WOULD HAVE TURNED US INTO THE HEAVIEST PORTION OF THE RADAR RETURNS. THE CTLR WAS GETTING VERY FRUSTRATED WITH US AND TOLD US TO CONTACT ZAU, AND THEY WOULD SEND US BACK TO HOLDING. IT WAS EVIDENT THAT MOST ACFT ON 119.0 COULDN'T ACCEPT THE EXACT TURNS THEY WERE BEING GIVEN DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE WX IN THE AREA. WE CONTACTED CTR AND ASKED THEM IF WE COULD HAVE A TURN TO GET ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE WX. THE CTR CTLR ACCOMMODATED US, AND LET US KNOW THAT THEY WERE TOO BUSY AND AREA TOO SATURATED WITH ACFT FOR US TO HOLD IN THEIR AIRSPACE ANYWAY. WE, AGAIN, CONTACTED 119.0, AND THIS CTLR LEFT US ON OUR PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED HDG. AFTER SEVERAL MINS, WE ASKED HOW LONG IT WOULD BE BEFORE WE COULD EXPECT A TURN (WE WERE HEADING AWAY FROM THE AREA AND, AGAIN, POINTING DIRECTLY AT A STRONG RADAR RETURN). HE SAID ABOUT 25 MI. WE ASKED FOR A TURN TO THE L TO AVOID WX (APPROX 230 DEGS), AND HE ALLOWED US TO MAKE THE TURN. HE THEN VECTORED US IN ON THE RWY 9L APCH WITHOUT FURTHER WX ENCOUNTERS. THE CELLS IN THE ORD AREA WERE EXTENSIVE AND PERHAPS CTR RELEASED TOO MANY ACFT TO APCH AIRSPACE. IT WAS AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT OPERATING ENVIRONMENT TO HAVE OUR OPTIONS BE TO EITHER TURN INTO A 'RED RADAR RETURN' OR TO HAVE TO DECLARE AN EMER TO NOT HAVE TO ACCEPT THE VECTORS. OBVIOUSLY, IT DIDN'T GET TO THAT POINT, HOWEVER, WE FELT THAT THE APCH CTLR COULD HAVE ORIGINALLY ALLOWED US TO FLY AROUND THE CELL INSTEAD OF PUNITIVELY SENDING US IN HIS WORDS 'BACK TO CTR TO HOLD.'

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.