Narrative:

Dispatch contacted me just prior to boarding the aircraft that due to atmospheric conditions in den (OAT 35 degrees) we were having problems with [weight] restrictions for our flight. The gate agent and the dispatcher both asked me to verify how many passengers we could actually take. Once I boarded the aircraft I immediately started into my normal preflight duties; briefed the release according to our sops; ran the checklists and then started to figure out how many passengers we could actually take. We determined that we could take all of the passengers. We were handed the load report right at our departure time so we completed the paperwork and pushed off of the gate.upon taxi out we received a message from the FMS that we had insufficient fuel for our flight. The FMS was estimating us to land at approximately 2;700 pounds of fuel. I verified that we would have the required mful taking the runway for departure so we elected to continue. Once en route upon further review of the release I noticed that the dispatcher had planned for us to land with 2;700 pounds of fuel remaining. I found this to be troubling; since after the TOD we are to declare minimum fuel if it is determined that we will land with less than 3;000 pounds.I pulled out the manual to review our fuel planning procedures. I discovered it specifically states that the dispatcher is to plan a minimum of 30 minutes of VFR holding fuel (typically 1;200 pounds) in addition to the required fuel for arrivals into airports forecasting VFR conditions for the ETA. Once I discovered this I contacted our dispatcher to ask him what the minimum estimated FOD could be for dispatch. He didn't answer my question but instead informed me that he had intentionally planned us lean on fuel to accommodate more passengers. I reminded him of the procedure in our manual which he acknowledged but stated again he was more concerned with taking more passengers.once we were aware of our situation; in an effort to save fuel; I flew at M.70 for the majority of the way (we were planned at .74M); descended with a 4.0 degree descent profile; requested every shortcut available; conducted the flight at FL370 instead of the planned FL350 and then declared minimum fuel after the TOD which resulted in ATC switching the runway configuration around for us so that we could land straight in on runway 10L. Despite all of this we still landed right at 3;000 pounds of fuel remaining!in the future; I will make sure that I review the planned FOD as part of my release brief. In addition; I feel that it is not a good practice by dispatch to intentionally plan for crews to land with less than 3;000 pounds of fuel.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An E170 Captain was distressed that his dispatcher compromised SOP fuel requirements in order to board more passengers when departing from a hot; high altitude airport and facing the associated weight restrictions.

Narrative: Dispatch contacted me just prior to boarding the aircraft that due to atmospheric conditions in DEN (OAT 35 degrees) we were having problems with [weight] restrictions for our flight. The gate agent and the Dispatcher both asked me to verify how many passengers we could actually take. Once I boarded the aircraft I immediately started into my normal preflight duties; briefed the release according to our SOPs; ran the checklists and then started to figure out how many passengers we could actually take. We determined that we could take all of the passengers. We were handed the Load Report right at our departure time so we completed the paperwork and pushed off of the gate.Upon taxi out we received a message from the FMS that we had insufficient fuel for our flight. The FMS was estimating us to land at approximately 2;700 LBS of fuel. I verified that we would have the required MFUL taking the runway for departure so we elected to continue. Once en route upon further review of the release I noticed that the Dispatcher had planned for us to land with 2;700 LBS of fuel remaining. I found this to be troubling; since after the TOD we are to declare minimum fuel if it is determined that we will land with less than 3;000 LBS.I pulled out the Manual to review our fuel planning procedures. I discovered it specifically states that the Dispatcher is to plan a minimum of 30 minutes of VFR holding fuel (typically 1;200 LBS) in addition to the required fuel for arrivals into airports forecasting VFR conditions for the ETA. Once I discovered this I contacted our Dispatcher to ask him what the minimum estimated FOD could be for dispatch. He didn't answer my question but instead informed me that he had intentionally planned us lean on fuel to accommodate more passengers. I reminded him of the procedure in our Manual which he acknowledged but stated again he was more concerned with taking more passengers.Once we were aware of our situation; in an effort to save fuel; I flew at M.70 for the majority of the way (we were planned at .74M); descended with a 4.0 degree descent profile; requested every shortcut available; conducted the flight at FL370 instead of the planned FL350 and then declared minimum fuel after the TOD which resulted in ATC switching the runway configuration around for us so that we could land straight in on Runway 10L. Despite all of this we still landed right at 3;000 LBS of fuel remaining!In the future; I will make sure that I review the planned FOD as part of my release brief. In addition; I feel that it is not a good practice by Dispatch to intentionally plan for crews to land with less than 3;000 LBS of fuel.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.