A320 flight crew is asked by ATC to squawk 7700 during WX deviations.

Attributes
ACN	590640
Time
Date	200307
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : chily
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 199 flight time total : 11541 flight time type : 1650
ASRS Report	590640
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Climbing on the chily departure a right deviation was requested due to a large cell on the departure. ATC approved only a left deviation. This required a 40-50 degree turn. Shortly after established on this heading ATC requested a turn to the right when able. There was a large cell to the right making a turn not possible. ATC then said if we were unable to make right turn we had to squawk 7700 because we would penetrate military airspace. We confirmed this request then complied. Soon after we were able to make a right turn. ATC told us to return to our original squawk and gave us a frequency change.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW IS ASKED BY ATC TO SQUAWK 7700 DURING WX DEVS.

Narrative: CLBING ON THE CHILY DEP A R DEV WAS REQUESTED DUE TO A LARGE CELL ON THE DEP. ATC APPROVED ONLY A L DEV. THIS REQUIRED A 40-50 DEG TURN. SHORTLY AFTER ESTABLISHED ON THIS HEADING ATC REQUESTED A TURN TO THE R WHEN ABLE. THERE WAS A LARGE CELL TO THE R MAKING A TURN NOT POSSIBLE. ATC THEN SAID IF WE WERE UNABLE TO MAKE R TURN WE HAD TO SQUAWK 7700 BECAUSE WE WOULD PENETRATE MIL AIRSPACE. WE CONFIRMED THIS REQUEST THEN COMPLIED. SOON AFTER WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE A R TURN. ATC TOLD US TO RETURN TO OUR ORIGINAL SQUAWK AND GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE.

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.