B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy; Procedure; Airport
I routinely call dispatch to monitor my fuel load to this particular Island airport. Tankering is a standard procedure to this destination. I like a moderate tankering so that my landing weight is 190;000 or less because of my concerns of the constraints of this particular airport. My dispatcher knows my concerns and informed me my landing weight would be 190;000. In fact my landing weight on approach was 194;000 just 4;000 lbs below max landing wt. The winds on the surface were light/variable; however on final a quartering tailwind of 5 knots. The previous ATIS had light rain. My landing performance is approaching the maximum length of the rwy. I asked for a reasonable landing weight and didn't get it. I was under the impression a flight was dispatched with joint authority. I'm frustrated with tankering fuel into special airports and that dispatchers are ignoring my concerns and continuing a practice that I believe should be revisited. If fuel costs are so high at this airport; why when I ask to land at my domicile airport (VFR) with a fuel load of 10;000 lbs...I land with 14;000 lbs of fuel. Dispatch is not listening to me or even showing any concern for high fuel costs. The policy of tankering has been in existence for many years. This policy works at saving money when fuel costs are high at particular airports. Moderation is what this island destination and similar airports need for tankering. I believe dispatchers repetitively dispatch tankering into special airports and as long as all legalities are met this practice will continue.
A B757 Captain questioned his Dispatcher's authority to load tankering fuel above his request when he is concerned about runway constraints at Island destination.