Captain of B757 reports company dispatcher failed to give adequate attention to contingency fuel whe...

Attributes
ACN	717395
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sequ.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence Rain Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	717395
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

This is recurring problem and other capts have voice similar concerns to dispatch and management. To maximize the fuel from segu to sequ; dispatch does not provide sufficient fuel to safely operate the flight. Often they failed to take into consideration an alternate (not the case on this particular flight); but; sequ is a single runway operation with all types of traffic using the airport. The possibility of an unanticipated runway closure is higher domestically. In this particular flight; I was flight planned to be dispatched with a 15.8 pounds of fuel. The burn to sequ was 4.3. Arriving at destination with 10.8 in the event of a diversion to segu (burn of 5.4); we would arrival at 5.4. Sequ is a captain's only airport with one runway and one approach. Missed apches and go arounds are more common than most airports. You cannot execute a missed approach to a visual. How much fuel would we have to execute a missed approach? How much fuel do we have for an ATC delay? How much fuel do we have to handle an emergency? I ordered an additional fuel uploaded of 3.0. We shutdown with 13.3. The limited fuel is based on an effort to maximize the fuel. Although; this is important to remain competitive in the region; it should not override common sense and safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF B757 RPTS COMPANY DISPATCHER FAILED TO GIVE ADEQUATE ATTENTION TO CONTINGENCY FUEL WHEN DEPARTING FROM SEQU.

Narrative: THIS IS RECURRING PROB AND OTHER CAPTS HAVE VOICE SIMILAR CONCERNS TO DISPATCH AND MANAGEMENT. TO MAXIMIZE THE FUEL FROM SEGU TO SEQU; DISPATCH DOES NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT FUEL TO SAFELY OPERATE THE FLT. OFTEN THEY FAILED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AN ALTERNATE (NOT THE CASE ON THIS PARTICULAR FLT); BUT; SEQU IS A SINGLE RWY OPERATION WITH ALL TYPES OF TFC USING THE ARPT. THE POSSIBILITY OF AN UNANTICIPATED RWY CLOSURE IS HIGHER DOMESTICALLY. IN THIS PARTICULAR FLT; I WAS FLT PLANNED TO BE DISPATCHED WITH A 15.8 LBS OF FUEL. THE BURN TO SEQU WAS 4.3. ARRIVING AT DEST WITH 10.8 IN THE EVENT OF A DIVERSION TO SEGU (BURN OF 5.4); WE WOULD ARR AT 5.4. SEQU IS A CAPT'S ONLY ARPT WITH ONE RWY AND ONE APCH. MISSED APCHES AND GO AROUNDS ARE MORE COMMON THAN MOST ARPTS. YOU CANNOT EXECUTE A MISSED APCH TO A VISUAL. HOW MUCH FUEL WOULD WE HAVE TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH? HOW MUCH FUEL DO WE HAVE FOR AN ATC DELAY? HOW MUCH FUEL DO WE HAVE TO HANDLE AN EMER? I ORDERED AN ADDITIONAL FUEL UPLOADED OF 3.0. WE SHUTDOWN WITH 13.3. THE LIMITED FUEL IS BASED ON AN EFFORT TO MAXIMIZE THE FUEL. ALTHOUGH; THIS IS IMPORTANT TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN THE REGION; IT SHOULD NOT OVERRIDE COMMON SENSE AND SAFETY.

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.

Captain of B757 reports company dispatcher failed to give adequate attention to contingency fuel when departing from sequ.