An A319 captain reports ATC consistently requires lower descent altitudes requiring more fuel. Dispa...

Attributes
ACN	815099
Time
Date	200812
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer
ASRS Report	815099
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Received flight plan approximately XA22Z for an XB00Z departure. During my review of the flight plan I noticed no alternate; arrival fuel of 7100 pounds; 45 min reserve fuel; and 45 min of holding fuel. In the expanded text of the flight plan I noticed the descent profile was inconsistent with the filed STAR and required altitudes per center required. Ie: cebee at FL290 instead of FL390; radds at 15000 ft instead of FL340; vcn at 8000 ft instead of 11000 ft. These inaccurate planned altitudes per the flight plan would negatively affect our arrival fuel to a level that may be below allowable limits. I informed the dispatcher of these discrepancies and he was unable to input the correct altitudes so added contingency fuel to make up the difference. Even though he EST our arrival fuel inaccurately at 8100 pounds when in actuality we arrived in ZZZ with 6000 pounds. So if we only had original fuel load we would have to divert for fuel. Inaccurate flight planning per descent profiles and inaccurate en route altitude per center required. Flight planned cebee at FL390 when every day of the week we cross it at FL290. Radds flight planned at FL340 when every day of the week we cross it at 15000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 CAPTAIN REPORTS ATC CONSISTENTLY REQUIRES LOWER DSCNT ALTITUDES REQUIRING MORE FUEL. DISPATCH DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE ADDED FUEL BURN UNTIL CALLED BY THE REPORTER.

Narrative: RECEIVED FLT PLAN APPROX XA22Z FOR AN XB00Z DEP. DURING MY REVIEW OF THE FLT PLAN I NOTICED NO ALTERNATE; ARR FUEL OF 7100 LBS; 45 MIN RESERVE FUEL; AND 45 MIN OF HOLDING FUEL. IN THE EXPANDED TEXT OF THE FLT PLAN I NOTICED THE DSCNT PROFILE WAS INCONSISTENT WITH THE FILED STAR AND REQUIRED ALTS PER CTR REQUIRED. IE: CEBEE AT FL290 INSTEAD OF FL390; RADDS AT 15000 FT INSTEAD OF FL340; VCN AT 8000 FT INSTEAD OF 11000 FT. THESE INACCURATE PLANNED ALTS PER THE FLT PLAN WOULD NEGATIVELY AFFECT OUR ARR FUEL TO A LEVEL THAT MAY BE BELOW ALLOWABLE LIMITS. I INFORMED THE DISPATCHER OF THESE DISCREPANCIES AND HE WAS UNABLE TO INPUT THE CORRECT ALTS SO ADDED CONTINGENCY FUEL TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE. EVEN THOUGH HE EST OUR ARR FUEL INACCURATELY AT 8100 LBS WHEN IN ACTUALITY WE ARRIVED IN ZZZ WITH 6000 LBS. SO IF WE ONLY HAD ORIGINAL FUEL LOAD WE WOULD HAVE TO DIVERT FOR FUEL. INACCURATE FLT PLANNING PER DSCNT PROFILES AND INACCURATE ENRTE ALT PER CTR REQUIRED. FLT PLANNED CEBEE AT FL390 WHEN EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK WE CROSS IT AT FL290. RADDS FLT PLANNED AT FL340 WHEN EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK WE CROSS IT AT 15000 FT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

An A319 captain reports ATC consistently requires lower descent altitudes requiring more fuel. Dispatch did not account for the added fuel burn until called by the reporter.