Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 160; Flight Crew Type 565
Distraction; Time Pressure
ATC Issue All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Procedure
After a normal pushback and taxi out; we were told to taxi on F and hold short of WA taxiway in Denver; planning for Runway 25. After coming to a stop; we noticed a lineup on taxiway Golf and it was clear that one of the departure corridors was shut down. After hearing a query from another aircraft soon after coming to a stop on taxiway F; ATC replied that all westbound departures were shut down due to traffic into and out of Eagle/Vail and Aspen airports. The dispatcher was notified of the shutdown; and the ATC coordinator started working to get us released per ACARS communication. At XA18Z; we were asked by ATC if we had Coded Departure Routes onboard; which we did not; and he proceeded to give us a full route clearance with the north departure YAMMI.LAR OCS J94 FMG PYE BEBOP as filed after. Being familiar with the fixes; I noticed our route paralleled our old one slightly to the north. The route was verified in the FMC; followed by a message to the dispatcher with the change of route at XA19Z. Furthermore; the original [Minimum] fuel was over 900 pounds less than actual onboard fuel when we were about to depart runway 25; and the fuel remaining at landing was comparable to the Atlantic crossings and acceptable to the Captain. Normal taxi out to the runway occurred and we departed at XA23Z. At XA44Z; well north of Denver and past LAR VOR; we received a message from dispatch saying Sabre is unable to reconcile the new flight plan due to fuel requirements for the Critical Point. At that time; we started working on other options. Because we were north of our route; a different track option for decrease of critical point fuel was not feasible. Also; an immediate turn to the southwest to try to rejoin our original route left us with less than required critical point fuel. By about Reno; we considered landing in San Francisco for fuel but we were presented an option to continue with a second critical point from dispatch and a required fuel at the new Critical Point 1 that was attainable with the updated winds aloft. The option to continue was selected to be the best course of action because if we would have diverted to San Francisco; we would have been 25;000 pounds overweight and further difficulties would have transpired. Watching the fuel intently between coast out and the critical point; we were showing required fuel onboard at or above all the way there and achieved that. A normal flight progressed after that.
We were approximately 500 lbs short of fuel at the ETOPS CP (Critical Point). We honestly believed the reroute was one that dispatch prompted and that the other fuel info made sense. We spent the next 2 hours adjusting altitude speed and dispatch requirements to make our fuel legal over CP; which we accomplished 27.0 lbs at CP 1.I feel I have a good understanding of ETOPS operations. We were very aware of ETOPS add. When we got the reroute we saw numbers that were less than desirable but met the minimums and made sense. We did not knowingly leave DEN with less than required fuel.I feel I was remiss in not waiting for a dispatcher concurrence but in reality waiting 25 minutes departure would probably not have happened with regards to min fuel.I am fairly surprised that a north parallel route affected so this adversely. I should have added 3000 lbs of fuel. I will NOT make that mistake again.[Minimum] fuel too little too tight on these flights. One hiccup and we are in a problem.I feel I did not have the information to avoid this mistake. The responsibility is clearly mine and the buck stops here. I do acknowledge my failing to catch the error. I contend that I was shorted the tools to have accomplished just that.
Air carrier flight dispatched for an ETOPS routing receives a reroute prior to takeoff that burns into their ETOPS divert fuel. Flight is continued due to confusion between flight crew and Dispatcher. Flight crew are able to adjust speed and altitude in flight to make their minimum fuel at their ETOPS critical point legal and continue to their intended destination.