Narrative:

After level off at FL330; the ride quickly deteriorated to moderate chop. We asked the controller about rides; and he said that they were worse higher; but lower was better. We stuck with the ride for a while to see if it would improve; but it did the opposite. We descended to FL290 with the intent of climbing back up when the rides higher improved. They never did improve. We cut corners with direct routing; flew FMS optimum speed; and kept the fuel close to the flight plan. Fuel abeam sso was 100 pounds above planned. After sso; the fuel began to fall behind with 500 pounds below abeam ewm and 1100 pounds below at tqa. We were given FL270 for traffic. I calculated that landing fuel would be 4.7. On initial contact with ZFW; I told the controller that fuel was tight and could we get direct to hirst or fever. He said jen was the best he could do. On each frequency change; I restated the request. About 70 mi from jen and at FL240 on a 080 degree heading to jen; the controller told us to turn right 120 degrees for spacing into dfw. I told him that we would be unable for fuel. He replied in a sarcastic tone; 'you mean you are refusing the vector?' I replied that we were 'low on fuel; could you give us any other options?' he said; 'no; this is a vector in trail.' I replied that we were 'minimum fuel and if we take the turn we will be emergency fuel.' we were then handed off to another controller; given direct to hirst with an expeditious arrival and approach. Landing fuel was 5.0 with 4.6 at the gate. If we had taken the in trail vector; landing fuel would have been below 4.0. Here are a few observations on this event: 1) the tight fuel plan gave us few options to deal with the unforecast turbulence en route (moderate entire route instead of light chop tfd to sso). 2) a series of events resulted in the inability to take extended vectors on arrival to dfw. 3) the dfw controller seemed to be playing some power game. I was merely trying to convey our tight fuel condition and provide for the safe operation of the flight. I feel that I was professional and polite in my xmissions with the controllers. 4) this type of event will probably be fairly common with the current fuel loads we are given. There is a point at which you push the fuel savings too far.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH BOTH COMPANY POLICY REGARDING FUEL ALLOCATION(S) AND D10 ATC SVCS INVOLVING MINIMUM FUEL STATUS.

Narrative: AFTER LEVEL OFF AT FL330; THE RIDE QUICKLY DETERIORATED TO MODERATE CHOP. WE ASKED THE CTLR ABOUT RIDES; AND HE SAID THAT THEY WERE WORSE HIGHER; BUT LOWER WAS BETTER. WE STUCK WITH THE RIDE FOR A WHILE TO SEE IF IT WOULD IMPROVE; BUT IT DID THE OPPOSITE. WE DSNDED TO FL290 WITH THE INTENT OF CLBING BACK UP WHEN THE RIDES HIGHER IMPROVED. THEY NEVER DID IMPROVE. WE CUT CORNERS WITH DIRECT ROUTING; FLEW FMS OPTIMUM SPD; AND KEPT THE FUEL CLOSE TO THE FLT PLAN. FUEL ABEAM SSO WAS 100 LBS ABOVE PLANNED. AFTER SSO; THE FUEL BEGAN TO FALL BEHIND WITH 500 LBS BELOW ABEAM EWM AND 1100 LBS BELOW AT TQA. WE WERE GIVEN FL270 FOR TFC. I CALCULATED THAT LNDG FUEL WOULD BE 4.7. ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH ZFW; I TOLD THE CTLR THAT FUEL WAS TIGHT AND COULD WE GET DIRECT TO HIRST OR FEVER. HE SAID JEN WAS THE BEST HE COULD DO. ON EACH FREQ CHANGE; I RESTATED THE REQUEST. ABOUT 70 MI FROM JEN AND AT FL240 ON A 080 DEG HDG TO JEN; THE CTLR TOLD US TO TURN R 120 DEGS FOR SPACING INTO DFW. I TOLD HIM THAT WE WOULD BE UNABLE FOR FUEL. HE REPLIED IN A SARCASTIC TONE; 'YOU MEAN YOU ARE REFUSING THE VECTOR?' I REPLIED THAT WE WERE 'LOW ON FUEL; COULD YOU GIVE US ANY OTHER OPTIONS?' HE SAID; 'NO; THIS IS A VECTOR IN TRAIL.' I REPLIED THAT WE WERE 'MINIMUM FUEL AND IF WE TAKE THE TURN WE WILL BE EMER FUEL.' WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER CTLR; GIVEN DIRECT TO HIRST WITH AN EXPEDITIOUS ARR AND APCH. LNDG FUEL WAS 5.0 WITH 4.6 AT THE GATE. IF WE HAD TAKEN THE IN TRAIL VECTOR; LNDG FUEL WOULD HAVE BEEN BELOW 4.0. HERE ARE A FEW OBSERVATIONS ON THIS EVENT: 1) THE TIGHT FUEL PLAN GAVE US FEW OPTIONS TO DEAL WITH THE UNFORECAST TURB ENRTE (MODERATE ENTIRE RTE INSTEAD OF LIGHT CHOP TFD TO SSO). 2) A SERIES OF EVENTS RESULTED IN THE INABILITY TO TAKE EXTENDED VECTORS ON ARR TO DFW. 3) THE DFW CTLR SEEMED TO BE PLAYING SOME PWR GAME. I WAS MERELY TRYING TO CONVEY OUR TIGHT FUEL CONDITION AND PROVIDE FOR THE SAFE OP OF THE FLT. I FEEL THAT I WAS PROFESSIONAL AND POLITE IN MY XMISSIONS WITH THE CTLRS. 4) THIS TYPE OF EVENT WILL PROBABLY BE FAIRLY COMMON WITH THE CURRENT FUEL LOADS WE ARE GIVEN. THERE IS A POINT AT WHICH YOU PUSH THE FUEL SAVINGS TOO FAR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.