B737-500 flight crew is concerned with reserve fuel at destination.

Attributes
ACN	704490
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sat.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : jfk.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain observation : company check pilot oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	704490
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

The first officer and I discussed adding fuel during the planning stages of the flight; but decided against it as occasional diverts are cheaper than adding fuel; per our company fuel training. We received a rerte for our ord-sat departure while taxiing out to runway 32L. When we entered the new route and winds; the FMC showed that we would land with about 50 mins of fuel; a legal amount for this flight. We conferred with dispatch and decided to depart. Despite flying at cost index 0 and getting a beneficial shortcut en route; at about 30 NM north of sat we figured that we would land with less than 40 mins of fuel. We declared 'minimum fuel' with sat approach and advised dispatch. We touched down with 3600 pounds of fuel. 45 mins of fuel equated to 3800 pounds per our flight plan. I don't feel safety was necessarily compromised so I am just writing this to document the 'minimum fuel' declaration.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-500 FLT CREW IS CONCERNED WITH RESERVE FUEL AT DEST.

Narrative: THE FO AND I DISCUSSED ADDING FUEL DURING THE PLANNING STAGES OF THE FLT; BUT DECIDED AGAINST IT AS OCCASIONAL DIVERTS ARE CHEAPER THAN ADDING FUEL; PER OUR COMPANY FUEL TRAINING. WE RECEIVED A RERTE FOR OUR ORD-SAT DEP WHILE TAXIING OUT TO RWY 32L. WHEN WE ENTERED THE NEW RTE AND WINDS; THE FMC SHOWED THAT WE WOULD LAND WITH ABOUT 50 MINS OF FUEL; A LEGAL AMOUNT FOR THIS FLT. WE CONFERRED WITH DISPATCH AND DECIDED TO DEPART. DESPITE FLYING AT COST INDEX 0 AND GETTING A BENEFICIAL SHORTCUT ENRTE; AT ABOUT 30 NM N OF SAT WE FIGURED THAT WE WOULD LAND WITH LESS THAN 40 MINS OF FUEL. WE DECLARED 'MINIMUM FUEL' WITH SAT APCH AND ADVISED DISPATCH. WE TOUCHED DOWN WITH 3600 LBS OF FUEL. 45 MINS OF FUEL EQUATED TO 3800 LBS PER OUR FLT PLAN. I DON'T FEEL SAFETY WAS NECESSARILY COMPROMISED SO I AM JUST WRITING THIS TO DOCUMENT THE 'MINIMUM FUEL' DECLARATION.

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.