Narrative:

Pre departure clearance out of tpa read tpa 3 departure (heading 200 degrees); maintain 6000 ft; departure frequency 118.8. There was a large thunderstorm to the southeast of runway 18R at about 7 NM. After takeoff; no one would answer on 118.8 after several calls. I broadcast in the blind that we were turning to a heading of 255 degrees; exercising captain's emergency authority/authorized to avoid a large thunderstorm; and switched back to tower frequency and repeated the same message. Tower asked me why we were using 118.8 and I told him that it was directed on our pre departure clearance (which I still have in my possession). We contacted departure on another frequency; and proceeded without further incident. Furthermore; I would like to make a general statement based on my observations as a line pilot over the last several months. I am not throwing rocks at the controllers at all. I understand that they are being told that they need to run the FAA 'like a corporation' and are reducing manning; increasing controller workloads; and losing experienced personnel. The increased workloads are certainly showing in the form of 'no communication' for extended periods (1 controller with way too many frequencys); conflicts with VFR traffic; clearance mistakes; and a very unfortunate occurrence in kentucky last month.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW IS GIVEN WRONG DEP FREQ IN PDC AT TPA.

Narrative: PDC OUT OF TPA READ TPA 3 DEP (HDG 200 DEGS); MAINTAIN 6000 FT; DEP FREQ 118.8. THERE WAS A LARGE TSTM TO THE SE OF RWY 18R AT ABOUT 7 NM. AFTER TKOF; NO ONE WOULD ANSWER ON 118.8 AFTER SEVERAL CALLS. I BROADCAST IN THE BLIND THAT WE WERE TURNING TO A HDG OF 255 DEGS; EXERCISING CAPT'S EMER AUTH TO AVOID A LARGE TSTM; AND SWITCHED BACK TO TWR FREQ AND REPEATED THE SAME MESSAGE. TWR ASKED ME WHY WE WERE USING 118.8 AND I TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS DIRECTED ON OUR PDC (WHICH I STILL HAVE IN MY POSSESSION). WE CONTACTED DEP ON ANOTHER FREQ; AND PROCEEDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. FURTHERMORE; I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL STATEMENT BASED ON MY OBSERVATIONS AS A LINE PLT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. I AM NOT THROWING ROCKS AT THE CTLRS AT ALL. I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE BEING TOLD THAT THEY NEED TO RUN THE FAA 'LIKE A CORPORATION' AND ARE REDUCING MANNING; INCREASING CTLR WORKLOADS; AND LOSING EXPERIENCED PERSONNEL. THE INCREASED WORKLOADS ARE CERTAINLY SHOWING IN THE FORM OF 'NO COM' FOR EXTENDED PERIODS (1 CTLR WITH WAY TOO MANY FREQS); CONFLICTS WITH VFR TFC; CLRNC MISTAKES; AND A VERY UNFORTUNATE OCCURRENCE IN KENTUCKY LAST MONTH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.