Narrative:

I was PIC on the flight to tpa. We were flying on the darbs arrival into tpa at FL190. We saw a line of WX about 40-50 mi long lying perpendicular across the arrival. We decided a left east deviation would be preferred. ZJX told us to expect a right west deviation in about 5 mins. After 5 mins passed and about 30 NM from the WX cells we told ZJX we needed to start a deviation around the WX. He cleared us to deviate '20 degrees right direct tabir when able.' I told him at this time it would take 40 degrees to 60 degrees right to get around the WX. ZJX replied 'deviate as necessary direct tabir when able.' we turned right off the arrival course to a heading of about 195 degrees to safely get around the WX. ZJX then switched us to ZMA which informed us we were about to enter a 'hot' military wing area. He asked if we could turn back towards the arrival. I told him we were unable to for another 10-15 mi. After about 30 seconds ZMA told us we were entering the 'hot military wing area and that he was unable to coordinate with the military and to squawk 7700.' after a couple of mins we told him we were turning back to the arrival at which time he told us he was now talking to the military and we could now go back and squawk our previous code. ZMA switched us to tpa approach and they asked us if we needed any assistance. I told him 'no' and realized the squawk code 7700 had tagged us as an emergency aircraft. We landed in tpa without event and heard nothing else from ATC. Please note an FAA inspector was on the flight deck and witnessed the events of the flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE CIRCUMNAVING TSTMS FLT CREW OF B733 ENTERED MOA WITHOUT CLRNC. SQUAWKED 7700 AT ZMA REQUEST AND COMPLETED DEV, THEN RETURNED TO DISCRETE CODE AND COMPLETED FLT.

Narrative: I WAS PIC ON THE FLT TO TPA. WE WERE FLYING ON THE DARBS ARR INTO TPA AT FL190. WE SAW A LINE OF WX ABOUT 40-50 MI LONG LYING PERPENDICULAR ACROSS THE ARR. WE DECIDED A LEFT E DEV WOULD BE PREFERRED. ZJX TOLD US TO EXPECT A RIGHT W DEV IN ABOUT 5 MINS. AFTER 5 MINS PASSED AND ABOUT 30 NM FROM THE WX CELLS WE TOLD ZJX WE NEEDED TO START A DEV AROUND THE WX. HE CLRED US TO DEVIATE '20 DEGS R DIRECT TABIR WHEN ABLE.' I TOLD HIM AT THIS TIME IT WOULD TAKE 40 DEGS TO 60 DEGS R TO GET AROUND THE WX. ZJX REPLIED 'DEVIATE AS NECESSARY DIRECT TABIR WHEN ABLE.' WE TURNED R OFF THE ARR COURSE TO A HEADING OF ABOUT 195 DEGS TO SAFELY GET AROUND THE WX. ZJX THEN SWITCHED US TO ZMA WHICH INFORMED US WE WERE ABOUT TO ENTER A 'HOT' MIL WING AREA. HE ASKED IF WE COULD TURN BACK TOWARDS THE ARR. I TOLD HIM WE WERE UNABLE TO FOR ANOTHER 10-15 MI. AFTER ABOUT 30 SECONDS ZMA TOLD US WE WERE ENTERING THE 'HOT MIL WING AREA AND THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO COORDINATE WITH THE MIL AND TO SQUAWK 7700.' AFTER A COUPLE OF MINS WE TOLD HIM WE WERE TURNING BACK TO THE ARR AT WHICH TIME HE TOLD US HE WAS NOW TALKING TO THE MIL AND WE COULD NOW GO BACK AND SQUAWK OUR PREVIOUS CODE. ZMA SWITCHED US TO TPA APCH AND THEY ASKED US IF WE NEEDED ANY ASSISTANCE. I TOLD HIM 'NO' AND REALIZED THE SQUAWK CODE 7700 HAD TAGGED US AS AN EMER ACFT. WE LANDED IN TPA WITHOUT EVENT AND HEARD NOTHING ELSE FROM ATC. PLEASE NOTE AN FAA INSPECTOR WAS ON THE FLT DECK AND WITNESSED THE EVENTS OF THE FLT.

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.