A321
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Weather
While climbing out of TPA we encountered a significant lightning/static discharge event while flying through an outflow area significantly downwind of an area of dissipating thunderstorms. The flight conditions consisted of a smooth ride; light rain and intermittent stratiform clouds. Our Multiscan radar showed us in an extensive area of precipitation depicted in green. The nearest contour (in yellow) was over 80 miles away. I don't recall anything we did contrary to the FM weather policy. The airplane remained out of service for over 24 hours and had 17 defects detected in the maintenance inspection. We [had] waited on the ramp for an hour and a half for thunderstorms to pass over the airport. Shortly before departure we granted Scheduling a duty time extension in order to complete the flight. Also; I called clearance delivery in order to change our route toward MCO to stay clear of most radar returns. I was told that traffic was moving northward on a 020 degree heading. I relented at that point and we pressed on. If my request was granted for the reroute we most likely would have avoided the incident. If I had to do it again I would have first checked the lightning activity on the WSI app. I got a snapshot of an outflow area of a storm complex over the Gulf of Mexico taken a few days later and sure enough: valuable information on lightning occurring miles from a cell. Just supposing I had this information in my situation; I would have called Dispatch and had them advocate the route I wanted as a safety of flight issue. I have experienced more than once routing that ATC think are appropriate - where they are trying to impose their will on piloting decisions. I realize that Florida has congested airways but I wanted to share my concern for pressure this puts on us and the cost to the company with an aircraft put out of service. The lightning resource in the WSI app is something I will use when necessary to draw a more fully informed decision of the route to fly.
A321 Captain reported a lightning strike while flying 80 miles away from an area of dissipating thunderstorms.