EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Workload; Time Pressure
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Company Policy; Procedure; Equipment / Tooling
Upon pushback and normal startup at the departure airport; upon taxi out; ground advised us of a ground hold into destination airport. We parked on a taxiway and elected to shutdown both engines; due to the length of the projected ground stop and due to the fact that the fuel margin between planned and required was so slim. Once finally released departure was normal. Prior to reaching the initial point for the FRDMM3 arrival; we were vectored off the arrival. We were then cleared to LETZZ a little further down the arrival and told to descend via the arrival. This is where things started to become so busy and confusing.ATC notified everyone at least 3 to 4 times that runway directions had changed at National even though National had not published a new ATIS. They were landing south one minute and north the next; requiring multiple FMS changes and entries.This is when things started stacking up for ATC. ATC gave us a hold as published 3 miles prior to the fix they wanted to hold at; which does not allow a proper FMS entry nor even the ability to scramble and determine the hold via green needles without passing over the fix. After informing them that it was too close to the fix; they then vectored us off the arrival and holding fix.At this point we had sent a [message] to Dispatch and told them we were being held. We received back that minimum fuel was approximately 3;000 LBS. At this point we had roughly 3;200-3;300 pounds and that we could only take one turn in the hold if that. We declared minimum fuel. At this point we were roughly over IAD with 3;100 LBS of fuel. ATC then gave us a heading for the river and a descent. After being cleared for the river visual; they turned us off the approach again! We had started to configure at the point; we were approximately at Flaps 2 with the gear down and around 210 knots and slowing. After the turn we encountered a turbulent patch of air that [over sped] the flaps by a few knots for 1 second. We were then turned back and recleared the river visual. Landing phase was uneventful; turned off the runway with the fuel indications just beginning to turn amber.A determination should be established as to why National decided to change runways so many times during light and variable wind conditions which in turn stacked up arriving traffic. As well as the margins for fuel have become so stringent that it almost forces an emergency situation anytime undue and unplanned delays occur; even in a CAVU day.
We are not being given enough fuel. This fuel program looks fine on paper; but it doesn't work. Yesterday we boarded on a perfectly clear day. I didn't save the release to give you exact numbers; but we had the 'planned fuel' that Dispatch gave us. We pushed back from the gate and started both engines because the departing runway was right behind us. When Ramp Control turned us over to ground; ground informed us we were in a ground stop for DCA and long story short it would be about a 25 minute delay. We shut down both engines; leaving the APU on as our air/electrical source. We contacted Dispatch and [departure] operations to tell them what was happening. They informed us Center was the culprit and it was a volume issue.Finally Ground released us and we started the engines and headed to the runway. The time from Ground releasing us until the takeoff roll was about four minutes so we didn't have the engines running for an absurd amount of time. When we crossed the hold short line we were above the Minimum fuel by about 600 LBS if memory serves me. It may have been a little more. Either way it was legal and above minimum fuel.As soon as we were turned over to Departure Control we were given a twenty degree turn off course. At this point we would be landing with 3;500 LBS of fuel. Center got us on course only to turn us off course again. Landing fuel would now be 3;400 LBS. [Next] Center does the same thing. Constant turns and they inform us that Runway 19 is in use at DCA despite the fact that the ATIS is showing Runway 1. More turns; fuel now 3;300 at arrival in DCA. I recognize the 2660 rule for declaring minimum fuel (or the reserve plus the alternate fuel if it is more). But we have no alternate today and the weather is fine. My mind cannot comprehend why the vectoring.We check on with Potomac and they tell us the runway is now 1. They are vectoring the people around us and then they announce holding. He told us to hold at ALWYZ; but I told him he was too late on the assignment as ALWYZ now sequenced beyond us. He gave us a south heading and an Expect Further Clearance (EFC) about twenty minutes from now. I immediately could tell that would not work and informed him we would be diverting. Dispatch gave us a minimum fuel of 3;004 LBS from where we were to DCA and IAD as an alternate. We are now scheduled to land at DCA with 3;000 LBS so I told him we would be diverting to IAD unless he could get us right in to DCA. He says he can and began heading us east bound. I declared minimum fuel and he told me we were number one for DCA and we were getting right in. He then switched us to another frequency and this controller said he was aware we were minimum fuel and we were getting right in. Then he tells us to turn 90 degrees off course. At that point I told him he had ten seconds to figure out what he was doing. He told us they had switched runways again to Runway 19. This is the fourth runway change! Then he turns us back toward the river and clears us for the river visual Runway 19. At this point we are showing 2;900 LBS on landing. As we configure for the river visual and cross over the American Legion Bridge; he suddenly tells us to turn left heading 150. I yelled at him. I don't know what I said; but he became nervous and then gave us a 240 heading. At this point we had a flap over speed with flaps at 2 and speed at 210. It jumped to like 218 for like one second. I don't know how it happened; because there was so much going on.Finally he re-clears us for the approach and we landed with around 2;800 LBS. By the time we got to the gate we were in amber.I am concerned about this fuel program we have adopted. I feel it has compromised safety. I have no idea what Potomac Approach was doing; but things happen and if we would have only had 1;000 more LBS this would have been a non-issue. Our dispatcher told me; 'I will give you more fuel anytime you ask.' Again; we were legal per the release; (which is honestly my only measurement) but we are not given much room for errors or for unpredictable events.We wrote up the flap over speed.Giving us more fuel would have helped a lot.
A regional jet flight crew reported experiencing a minimum fuel condition due to ongoing delays at the destination airport; which were attributed to multiple runway changes. They also cited their company's fuel policy as a contributing factor to their fuel situation.