Narrative:

Ny TRACON performed admirably. Vectoring service could not have been better. Found out though, that it was so good, because we had been misunderstood to be in 'emergency fuel state', when ATC bos center had been told only that flight was planned to land jfk 'just above FAA minimum fuel state', and 'normal descent for our aircraft, instead of early stepdown'. Along with several direct requests had been asked for and accommodate. Jfk emergency equipment had been rolled and was in placed for our landing. Better to have and not be needed, than other way, but hated to see them exercised because of misunderstanding. Actual landing fuel was 1000 pounds below planned minimum FAA/co, and 2000 pounds below flight planned amount. Because of heavy headwinds encountered just prior to, and lasting during descent. Because fuel is probably most serious concern on board aircraft, other than a fire, believe that an aircraft that is in a situation other than completely normal fuel state, should be assigned a specific transponder squawk that is clearly and universally defined to both pilots and controllers, that describes situation to all.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF WDB MENTIONED MINIMUM FUEL PASSING BOS AND NEW YORK APCH CTLR RESPONDED WITH EMERGENCY APCH VECTORS AND EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT STANDING BY.

Narrative: NY TRACON PERFORMED ADMIRABLY. VECTORING SVC COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BETTER. FOUND OUT THOUGH, THAT IT WAS SO GOOD, BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN MISUNDERSTOOD TO BE IN 'EMER FUEL STATE', WHEN ATC BOS CTR HAD BEEN TOLD ONLY THAT FLT WAS PLANNED TO LAND JFK 'JUST ABOVE FAA MINIMUM FUEL STATE', AND 'NORMAL DSNT FOR OUR ACFT, INSTEAD OF EARLY STEPDOWN'. ALONG WITH SEVERAL DIRECT REQUESTS HAD BEEN ASKED FOR AND ACCOMMODATE. JFK EMER EQUIP HAD BEEN ROLLED AND WAS IN PLACED FOR OUR LNDG. BETTER TO HAVE AND NOT BE NEEDED, THAN OTHER WAY, BUT HATED TO SEE THEM EXERCISED BECAUSE OF MISUNDERSTANDING. ACTUAL LNDG FUEL WAS 1000 LBS BELOW PLANNED MINIMUM FAA/CO, AND 2000 LBS BELOW FLT PLANNED AMOUNT. BECAUSE OF HVY HEADWINDS ENCOUNTERED JUST PRIOR TO, AND LASTING DURING DSNT. BECAUSE FUEL IS PROBABLY MOST SERIOUS CONCERN ON BOARD ACFT, OTHER THAN A FIRE, BELIEVE THAT AN ACFT THAT IS IN A SITUATION OTHER THAN COMPLETELY NORMAL FUEL STATE, SHOULD BE ASSIGNED A SPECIFIC XPONDER SQUAWK THAT IS CLRLY AND UNIVERSALLY DEFINED TO BOTH PLTS AND CTLRS, THAT DESCRIBES SITUATION TO ALL.

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.