Commercial Fixed Wing
Dispatch Dispatcher
Communication Breakdown; Distraction
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Company Policy; Procedure; Environment - Non Weather Related
The Dispatch [group] has a program called HFR (Historical Fuel Report) in which the dispatcher is required for the most part to dispatch with a very low amount of fuel on board.  In the last week HFR numbers came back showing I was dispatching with 655 lbs above HFR; which I know was a very incorrect number.  After flights had completed; I went back and removed exactly 600 lbs from ramp so I could see what my extra would have to be to comply with what the Company was asking for so I could go back to my Manager with an idea how much the program's numbers were off.  I attempted this only after the flight was completed so it would not have compromised ACARS flight numbers or safety.  However I did hit release to examine runway data.  The exercise was to examine burns and affects with the fuel.  The reason that was done is due to the Dispatch Manager posting dispatchers' fuel numbers which I feel is wrong and he even talked about 'Fantasy HFR' in order see who can land with the lowest fuel numbers.  I feel we are being squeezed into dispatching flights with lower fuel due to what I believe are corrupted HFR numbers showing higher than dispatched fuel numbers.  The reason for the exercise was for data gathering to conclude that to meet the 738 lbs HFR numbers I would actually have to release the flights with only 31-260lbs of extra fuel.  I should've never hit the release button and left it.  I should have returned it back to the original numbers after numbers had generated (approximately 600 lbs more in ramp/extra).  At the time my belief was that since the flights had been completed; this would not be a matter of safety; just simply data gathering.  Safety was not compromised; nor was I trying to cover up any illegal acts.  Those releases were never sent and the actual release sent was available in Sabre DECs.  This act will not be repeated.  I also believe safety has been compromised by posting HFR numbers; there is peer pressure to produce the lowest numbers; including dispatchers dispatching with such low fuel amounts they can't change alternates if they should fall below minimums.
An air carrier Dispatcher reported that his Company's Historical Fuel Report (HFR) program released his name as over fueling aircraft; which was not correct; thereby putting peer pressure on dispatchers to possibly illegally under fuel aircraft.