Narrative:

Fueler put approximately 7300 lbs on board. Flight planned FOD (fuel over destination) 2084. Planned; filed; and flown at 456 ktas until coming under the STAR speeds. Iah was forecast and showing northeast winds at 15 kts so we knew we'd land east. We discussed a likely tight fuel situation while getting wings & tail deiced from morning frost. There was a 20 min delay for iah issued after we started both engines so we shut one down as well as the APU to conserve fuel but kept an engine running just in case ground needed us to get going should the time move up. Took off (dual engine!) with approximately 6800 lbs on board. We had a short vector to the south of approximately 35 miles (for spacing) at cruise but other than that we had no delays; holds; speed shifts; or intermediate level-offs in the climb. At TOC (top of climb) we saw the FMS predicting 1;500 lbs on landing with the approach loaded. We kept an eye on iah weather and discussed immediate diversionary airports should ATC suggest any kind of delay.ATC changed us to the gesnr arrival which isn't materially different from the doobi we were filed on. In fact; the gesnr keeps you higher for a longer time so it actually helped. On the filed flight plan; our TOD from the paperwork was 3 miles prior to doobi. We were filed and flew at FL320. The charted altitude for the arrival at doobi is between 17;000 and 15;000 ft. This tells me that our planned burn is optimistic and unrealistic. We declared min fuel with approach on the downwind abeam the airport. He took us out to a 27 mile final because min fuel is essentially meaningless to ATC. First officer (pilot flying) delayed approach flaps configuration as much as possible to reduce increased burn for drag. We briefed go-arounds and our immediate plans should that occur. We landed with 1;280 lbs and; after a long taxi; arrived at the gate with 1;180 lbs. We enjoyed multiple fuel lo level warnings during the taxi which occasionally made ground control's communications difficult to hear (this occurs at approximately 1;200 lbs but you'll get it in every turn as you approach that quantity). This was a new low fuel landing record for me! My previous low was 1;400 lbs but that involved actual issues outside of the dispatch release (bleed valve failure). Cause- company fuel savings plan coupled with poor fuel planning - newer; longer downwinds being flown for iah - inadequate descent fuel planning with incorrect; wildly optimistic tods on the flight plan; calm; morning flight with good weather that made me think; 'yeah; these fuel numbers look good.'errors - accepting the fuel planning uas - extremely low fuel quantity during approach and landing (not quite emergency fuel; though) personal improvements - ensure 500 lbs minimum taxi fuel during morning flights that require deicing. More if there's any kind of hold-up. If it's not on the paperwork; add it and inform dispatch. Ensure the TOD on the paperwork is in a realistic position. If not; add 300-500 lbs depending on how whack. Add the fuel and inform dispatch. If I followed the above two new fuel rules; we would have landed with 1;930 lbs. Ensure fuel on destination is never less than 2;300 lbs. If so; add the requisite fuel and inform dispatch. Divert for a fuel stop when the FMS realistically shows less than reserve on landing. It's really not that much work and we're paid by the minute; so why not? Money in the bank; baby! Company improvements - run a study on taxi fuel numbers. Ever since the fadec update; our idle fuel burns went from approximately 360 pph to 480 pph but our planned taxi fuel numbers stayed the same. Even using single-engine taxi; I'm often over the planned taxi fuel if there's anything other than straight-out-and-take-off. Just make 300 a minimum taxi fuel (500 when deicing is likely) because we're probably not going to do that study. Go back to 1;800 lbs reserve. The 1;650-1;700 lbs only really works if the other numbers are accurate. Nothing inthe last 3 years indicates there is any kind of accuracy in our fuel burn numbers. Work with embraer to reprogram the EICAS logic on the fuel lo level message. This should be inhibited when there's weight-on-wheels and no T/O data inputted. This will prevent nuisance messages that make hearing ATC difficult.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air Carrier Captain reported a low fuel situation that resulted from poor fuel planning and a delay for taxi at the departure airport.

Narrative: Fueler put approximately 7300 lbs on board. Flight planned FOD (Fuel Over Destination) 2084. Planned; filed; and flown at 456 KTAS until coming under the STAR speeds. IAH was forecast and showing NE winds at 15 kts so we knew we'd land East. We discussed a likely tight fuel situation while getting wings & tail deiced from morning frost. There was a 20 min delay for IAH issued after we started both engines so we shut one down as well as the APU to conserve fuel but kept an engine running just in case Ground needed us to get going should the time move up. Took off (dual engine!) with approximately 6800 lbs on board. We had a short vector to the South of approximately 35 miles (for spacing) at cruise but other than that we had no delays; holds; speed shifts; or intermediate level-offs in the climb. At TOC (Top of Climb) we saw the FMS predicting 1;500 lbs on landing with the approach loaded. We kept an eye on IAH weather and discussed immediate diversionary airports should ATC suggest any kind of delay.ATC changed us to the GESNR arrival which isn't materially different from the DOOBI we were filed on. In fact; the GESNR keeps you higher for a longer time so it actually helped. On the filed flight plan; our TOD from the paperwork was 3 miles prior to DOOBI. We were filed and flew at FL320. The charted altitude for the arrival at DOOBI is between 17;000 and 15;000 ft. This tells me that our planned burn is optimistic and unrealistic. We declared Min Fuel with Approach on the downwind abeam the airport. He took us out to a 27 mile final because Min Fuel is essentially meaningless to ATC. FO (Pilot Flying) delayed approach flaps configuration as much as possible to reduce increased burn for drag. We briefed go-arounds and our immediate plans should that occur. We landed with 1;280 lbs and; after a long taxi; arrived at the gate with 1;180 lbs. We enjoyed multiple FUEL LO LEVEL warnings during the taxi which occasionally made Ground control's communications difficult to hear (this occurs at approximately 1;200 lbs but you'll get it in every turn as you approach that quantity). This was a new low fuel landing record for me! My previous low was 1;400 lbs but that involved actual issues outside of the dispatch release (Bleed Valve failure). Cause- Company fuel savings plan coupled with poor fuel planning - Newer; longer downwinds being flown for IAH - Inadequate descent fuel planning with incorrect; wildly optimistic TODs on the flight plan; calm; morning flight with good weather that made me think; 'yeah; these fuel numbers look good.'Errors - Accepting the fuel planning UAS - Extremely low fuel quantity during approach and landing (not quite Emergency Fuel; though) Personal Improvements - Ensure 500 lbs minimum Taxi fuel during morning flights that require deicing. More if there's any kind of hold-up. If it's not on the paperwork; add it and inform dispatch. Ensure the TOD on the paperwork is in a realistic position. If not; add 300-500 lbs depending on how whack. Add the fuel and inform dispatch. If I followed the above two New Fuel Rules; we would have landed with 1;930 lbs. Ensure Fuel on Destination is never less than 2;300 lbs. If so; add the requisite fuel and inform dispatch. Divert for a fuel stop when the FMS realistically shows less than Reserve on landing. It's really not that much work and we're paid by the minute; so why not? Money in the bank; baby! Company Improvements - Run a study on taxi fuel numbers. Ever since the FADEC update; our idle fuel burns went from approximately 360 PPH to 480 PPH but our planned taxi fuel numbers stayed the same. Even using single-engine taxi; I'm often over the planned taxi fuel if there's anything other than straight-out-and-take-off. Just make 300 a minimum Taxi fuel (500 when deicing is likely) because we're probably not going to do that study. Go back to 1;800 lbs Reserve. The 1;650-1;700 lbs only really works if the other numbers are accurate. Nothing inthe last 3 years indicates there is any kind of accuracy in our fuel burn numbers. Work with Embraer to reprogram the EICAS logic on the FUEL LO LEVEL message. This should be inhibited when there's weight-on-wheels and no T/O Data inputted. This will prevent nuisance messages that make hearing ATC difficult.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.