Narrative:

Following a VFR departure off of rutherfordton, nc (57A) we received an IFR clearance from atlanta center. Our filed routing was: 57A direct bzm direct EMI direct lrp direct abe. We received a revised routing once in washington ARTCC airspace: direct ldn ldn 031 degrees radial V377 har V162 etx direct abe. While this change increases cockpit workload, it is a given that when operating in washington and new york ARTCC's, you can expect numerous changes en route. This involves routings and altitudes. Because of these expected changes, I loaded the aircraft with an additional 25% more fuel than our normal fuel burn, above and beyond our normal reserves. The problem began when 325 NM from our destination we were given a descent to FL270 from FL350. While this increased our fuel burn, it still did not affect safety of lt. We were then given an additional clearance to FL190. At this point, I objected to this clearance. The washington ARTCC controller asked if I was declaring an emergency. I told her no, unless she made us descend to FL190. At that point she cleared us to 190! Upon reaching FL190 we were handed off to new york ARTCC and given priority handling all the way to allentown. With the additional fuel I had put on the aircraft, we landed at a fuel level just below our required reserve. While this situation worked out, a less experienced crew, in a less efficient aircraft, with unforecasted, deteriorating WX, could have had a serious problem. There has to be something published as to increased fuel burns to be expected when operating into these areas. This may prevent an inexperienced crew from being put into a very serious situation by an inflexible written ATC procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORPORATE ACFT RERTED THEN CLRED TO DSND EARLY. REQUEST TO REMAIN HIGHER DUE TO FUEL STATUS. CLRED LOWER AND GIVEN PRIORITY HANDLING.

Narrative: FOLLOWING A VFR DEP OFF OF RUTHERFORDTON, NC (57A) WE RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC FROM ATLANTA CTR. OUR FILED ROUTING WAS: 57A DIRECT BZM DIRECT EMI DIRECT LRP DIRECT ABE. WE RECEIVED A REVISED ROUTING ONCE IN WASHINGTON ARTCC AIRSPACE: DIRECT LDN LDN 031 DEGS RADIAL V377 HAR V162 ETX DIRECT ABE. WHILE THIS CHANGE INCREASES COCKPIT WORKLOAD, IT IS A GIVEN THAT WHEN OPERATING IN WASHINGTON AND NEW YORK ARTCC'S, YOU CAN EXPECT NUMEROUS CHANGES ENRTE. THIS INVOLVES ROUTINGS AND ALTS. BECAUSE OF THESE EXPECTED CHANGES, I LOADED THE ACFT WITH AN ADDITIONAL 25% MORE FUEL THAN OUR NORMAL FUEL BURN, ABOVE AND BEYOND OUR NORMAL RESERVES. THE PROBLEM BEGAN WHEN 325 NM FROM OUR DEST WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT TO FL270 FROM FL350. WHILE THIS INCREASED OUR FUEL BURN, IT STILL DID NOT AFFECT SAFETY OF LT. WE WERE THEN GIVEN AN ADDITIONAL CLRNC TO FL190. AT THIS POINT, I OBJECTED TO THIS CLRNC. THE WASHINGTON ARTCC CTLR ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER. I TOLD HER NO, UNLESS SHE MADE US DSND TO FL190. AT THAT POINT SHE CLRED US TO 190! UPON REACHING FL190 WE WERE HANDED OFF TO NEW YORK ARTCC AND GIVEN PRIORITY HANDLING ALL THE WAY TO ALLENTOWN. WITH THE ADDITIONAL FUEL I HAD PUT ON THE ACFT, WE LANDED AT A FUEL LEVEL JUST BELOW OUR REQUIRED RESERVE. WHILE THIS SITUATION WORKED OUT, A LESS EXPERIENCED CREW, IN A LESS EFFICIENT ACFT, WITH UNFORECASTED, DETERIORATING WX, COULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS PROBLEM. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING PUBLISHED AS TO INCREASED FUEL BURNS TO BE EXPECTED WHEN OPERATING INTO THESE AREAS. THIS MAY PREVENT AN INEXPERIENCED CREW FROM BEING PUT INTO A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION BY AN INFLEXIBLE WRITTEN ATC PROCEDURE.

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.