Narrative:

After pushback at ogg, ZHN informed us the only altitude available to sfo was FL300 on R-465. All altitudes were available for R-463. To get our flight planned cruise altitude would require a delay of 45 mins. We had a full aircraft of 287 passenger with many making connections to the united stated east coast and no other flts till the next morning. I saw 7000 pounds of extra fuel on the flight plan forecast and the WX at sfo was forecast clear. I told ATC we would take r- 463 and FL340. After takeoff I requested dispatch to send a new flight plan forecast using R-463, FL340 and takeoff fuel of 90.4K of fuel via ACARS. He sent 2 messages via ACARS that 'he was trying.' finally we received one before our gateway, but it showed a takeoff fuel of 91.6K, 1200 pounds more of fuel than we actually had. We didn't question it and proceeded to sfo arriving early enough for all passenger to make their connections and only down about the 1200 pounds of fuel indicated on the flight plan forecast. I had a message upon arrival sfo to contact dispatch. I did and was informed that the reason the flight plan forecast was late arriving via ACARS was that the computer wouldn't generate a flight plan forecast at the 90400 pounds of takeoff fuel. When the dispatcher increased the fuel at takeoff to 91600 pounds it then generated the flight plan forecast which we received and used. The dispatcher's curiosity prompted him to follow through on way and stated the fuel increase was necessary to compensate for the fuel required for the point of equal time (pet) for decompression descent on the longer distance route of R-463. No where on the flight plan forecast does it state the amount of fuel required to fulfill point of equal time decompression requirements. So even though the 7000 pounds showed as extra it actually wasn't extra, but minimum dispatch fuel to meet point of equal time requirements. Later, talking to other dispatchers, I was told some put the minimum fuel required for point of equal time in the 'xtra' box and some in the 'hold' box or a 'combination of both.' perhaps this would be shown better on the flight plan forecast so a pilot would not use this fuel for dispatch.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB DISPATCHED WITH THE WRONG FUEL LOAD SHOWN ON THE DISPATCH RELEASE.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHBACK AT OGG, ZHN INFORMED US THE ONLY ALT AVAILABLE TO SFO WAS FL300 ON R-465. ALL ALTS WERE AVAILABLE FOR R-463. TO GET OUR FLT PLANNED CRUISE ALT WOULD REQUIRE A DELAY OF 45 MINS. WE HAD A FULL ACFT OF 287 PAX WITH MANY MAKING CONNECTIONS TO THE UNITED STATED EAST COAST AND NO OTHER FLTS TILL THE NEXT MORNING. I SAW 7000 LBS OF EXTRA FUEL ON THE FLT PLAN FORECAST AND THE WX AT SFO WAS FORECAST CLR. I TOLD ATC WE WOULD TAKE R- 463 AND FL340. AFTER TKOF I REQUESTED DISPATCH TO SEND A NEW FLT PLAN FORECAST USING R-463, FL340 AND TKOF FUEL OF 90.4K OF FUEL VIA ACARS. HE SENT 2 MESSAGES VIA ACARS THAT 'HE WAS TRYING.' FINALLY WE RECEIVED ONE BEFORE OUR GATEWAY, BUT IT SHOWED A TKOF FUEL OF 91.6K, 1200 LBS MORE OF FUEL THAN WE ACTUALLY HAD. WE DIDN'T QUESTION IT AND PROCEEDED TO SFO ARRIVING EARLY ENOUGH FOR ALL PAX TO MAKE THEIR CONNECTIONS AND ONLY DOWN ABOUT THE 1200 LBS OF FUEL INDICATED ON THE FLT PLAN FORECAST. I HAD A MESSAGE UPON ARR SFO TO CONTACT DISPATCH. I DID AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE REASON THE FLT PLAN FORECAST WAS LATE ARRIVING VIA ACARS WAS THAT THE COMPUTER WOULDN'T GENERATE A FLT PLAN FORECAST AT THE 90400 LBS OF TKOF FUEL. WHEN THE DISPATCHER INCREASED THE FUEL AT TKOF TO 91600 LBS IT THEN GENERATED THE FLT PLAN FORECAST WHICH WE RECEIVED AND USED. THE DISPATCHER'S CURIOSITY PROMPTED HIM TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON WAY AND STATED THE FUEL INCREASE WAS NECESSARY TO COMPENSATE FOR THE FUEL REQUIRED FOR THE POINT OF EQUAL TIME (PET) FOR DECOMPRESSION DSCNT ON THE LONGER DISTANCE RTE OF R-463. NO WHERE ON THE FLT PLAN FORECAST DOES IT STATE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL REQUIRED TO FULFILL POINT OF EQUAL TIME DECOMPRESSION REQUIREMENTS. SO EVEN THOUGH THE 7000 LBS SHOWED AS EXTRA IT ACTUALLY WASN'T EXTRA, BUT MINIMUM DISPATCH FUEL TO MEET POINT OF EQUAL TIME REQUIREMENTS. LATER, TALKING TO OTHER DISPATCHERS, I WAS TOLD SOME PUT THE MINIMUM FUEL REQUIRED FOR POINT OF EQUAL TIME IN THE 'XTRA' BOX AND SOME IN THE 'HOLD' BOX OR A 'COMBINATION OF BOTH.' PERHAPS THIS WOULD BE SHOWN BETTER ON THE FLT PLAN FORECAST SO A PLT WOULD NOT USE THIS FUEL FOR DISPATCH.

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.