Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Procedure; Human Factors
I was the Pilot-in-Command and; shortly after departing; we were told by ATC to expect 8000 feet as a final altitude for the duration of the flight. Our dispatch flight release planned cruise altitude was 20;000 feet; so we were concerned 8000 feet would be problematic. We contacted dispatch to obtain new performance information; including updated fuel burn data for cruise flight at 8000 feet. While waiting for this information; ATC then instructed our flight to descend to 6000 feet. We notified ATC that we were still calculating our new performance numbers but did not believe the lower altitude would help our situation. ATC was insistent on the descent to a lower altitude. Still waiting for our dispatcher to finish the calculations and without having appropriate performance data readily available in the cockpit; we declared 'minimum fuel' with ATC. As a result; ATC was able to give us 16;000 feet as a final altitude and an enroute short-cut; two factors that significantly improved our fuel burn performance. We also notified our dispatcher of our 'minimum fuel' declaration. The flight continued normally and landed safely. Our arrival fuel at touchdown was 3160lbs.[Company] EMB145 pilots do not have appropriate performance data; as it pertains to low-level fuel burn; readily available to them in the cockpit. Because of the time it can take [Operations Control] to calculate this performance data; it would increase situational awareness and improve pilot knowledge if appropriate performance data was made readily available to pilots in the cockpit.
[Report narrative contained no additional information.]
EMB-145 flight crew reported ATC cleared them for a final altitude that was lower than planned and revised performance information was not readily available.