Narrative:

As instructor on cross country, I elected to make a fuel stop at memphis, tn (mem), as our fuel reserve was deteriorating in a very strong crosswind. We were immediately cleared into the class B airspace and were told to expect runway 27. Soon we were given a runway change to runway 18R. Then in a couple of mins vectored in the opposite direction (270 degrees) away from the airport as the fuel situation became more critical. We did a VFR hold. No way were we going to fly away from the airport while still approximately 6 mi away and over populated city area. (Approach controls seem to think you are a lear jet.) mem approach suggested getting us to intercept a 5 mi final where a 1/2 mi final was more than adequate for a cessna 172. With FAA's 'we are the lord' and 'holier than thou' attitude, there was no way we were going to declare an emergency for priority and put up with all the FAA's paperwork write-up. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that they did land with sufficient fuel, but that he was very concerned for a while that he was going to run out over the congested city or the 'big river!' he was advised that it is better to declare an emergency to ATC due to low fuel than to run out and endanger his student's life and that of possibly others in order to avoid possible reporting to the FAA. The only way that ATC can assure priority handling is through the pilot's declaration of an emergency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR PLT OF AN SMA SEL DURING A XCOUNTRY TRAINING FLT DIVERTED TO LAND DUE TO LOW FUEL CAUSED BY UNEXPECTED HEADWINDS AND COMPLAINED ABOUT ATC SVC IN CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: AS INSTRUCTOR ON XCOUNTRY, I ELECTED TO MAKE A FUEL STOP AT MEMPHIS, TN (MEM), AS OUR FUEL RESERVE WAS DETERIORATING IN A VERY STRONG XWIND. WE WERE IMMEDIATELY CLRED INTO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AND WERE TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 27. SOON WE WERE GIVEN A RWY CHANGE TO RWY 18R. THEN IN A COUPLE OF MINS VECTORED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION (270 DEGS) AWAY FROM THE ARPT AS THE FUEL SIT BECAME MORE CRITICAL. WE DID A VFR HOLD. NO WAY WERE WE GOING TO FLY AWAY FROM THE ARPT WHILE STILL APPROX 6 MI AWAY AND OVER POPULATED CITY AREA. (APCH CTLS SEEM TO THINK YOU ARE A LEAR JET.) MEM APCH SUGGESTED GETTING US TO INTERCEPT A 5 MI FINAL WHERE A 1/2 MI FINAL WAS MORE THAN ADEQUATE FOR A CESSNA 172. WITH FAA'S 'WE ARE THE LORD' AND 'HOLIER THAN THOU' ATTITUDE, THERE WAS NO WAY WE WERE GOING TO DECLARE AN EMER FOR PRIORITY AND PUT UP WITH ALL THE FAA'S PAPERWORK WRITE-UP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THEY DID LAND WITH SUFFICIENT FUEL, BUT THAT HE WAS VERY CONCERNED FOR A WHILE THAT HE WAS GOING TO RUN OUT OVER THE CONGESTED CITY OR THE 'BIG RIVER!' HE WAS ADVISED THAT IT IS BETTER TO DECLARE AN EMER TO ATC DUE TO LOW FUEL THAN TO RUN OUT AND ENDANGER HIS STUDENT'S LIFE AND THAT OF POSSIBLY OTHERS IN ORDER TO AVOID POSSIBLE RPTING TO THE FAA. THE ONLY WAY THAT ATC CAN ASSURE PRIORITY HANDLING IS THROUGH THE PLT'S DECLARATION OF AN EMER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.