Narrative:

Flight from mmu-hbg, with intermediate stop at uza for fuel. We decided it best not to go non-stop with flight time of 3 hours 40 mins because it was too close in terms of reserve fuel over such a distance. We decided to stop at uza on south side of clt or at jqf on north side of clt. Fuel load was 3400 pounds or 2 hours +1 hour reserve (approximately 1000 pounds). Normally, I might have taken even more fuel, however, at $4.45/gallon, jet-a fuel, it was not feasible and we already had 200-300 pounds more than required (45 mins). We received a better than expected climb, without leveloff, to FL230. After less than a min, we were denied to FL310 as planned. We attempted to get FL350, but were climbed due to traffic, to conserve even more reserve fuel. Unfortunately, we were lowered to FL280 earlier than planned, but still expected to land with our normal 1000 pounds per hour reserve. ZDC changed our arrival routing 3 times and began to vector us around. At one point, as much as 100 degrees right of course. I explained we'd prefer to continue as per arrival to conserve fuel, and we were cleared as requested. Next controller again attempted to vector us 30 degrees right of course, then 60 degrees right. At that point, I declared minimum fuel. The controller raised his voice and said 'you're not the only airplane in the sky' and he'd 'let approach deal with us.' by the tone, I expected profanity at the end of it. Clt approach asked if we were minimum fuel. I declared we had approximately 1 hour fuel on board and could take minimal vectoring. We did receive some vectors but were able to land with 600-650 pounds, or approximately 30-40 mins cruise fuel. While not an emergency situation, I'd have preferred a more understanding controller and could do without the diatribe. I think the controller may have thought we declared minimum fuel to get preferential treatment (not the case) and that made him angry. ATC should take minimum fuel declarations seriously and not make the situation worse by using threatening language. This was my first minimum fuel declaration of my career, and I was hardly 'crying wolf.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C550 ENRTE TO CLT VOICED A MINIMUM FUEL PROB WITH ATC AND RECEIVED A REBUTTAL.

Narrative: FLT FROM MMU-HBG, WITH INTERMEDIATE STOP AT UZA FOR FUEL. WE DECIDED IT BEST NOT TO GO NON-STOP WITH FLT TIME OF 3 HRS 40 MINS BECAUSE IT WAS TOO CLOSE IN TERMS OF RESERVE FUEL OVER SUCH A DISTANCE. WE DECIDED TO STOP AT UZA ON S SIDE OF CLT OR AT JQF ON N SIDE OF CLT. FUEL LOAD WAS 3400 LBS OR 2 HRS +1 HR RESERVE (APPROX 1000 LBS). NORMALLY, I MIGHT HAVE TAKEN EVEN MORE FUEL, HOWEVER, AT $4.45/GALLON, JET-A FUEL, IT WAS NOT FEASIBLE AND WE ALREADY HAD 200-300 LBS MORE THAN REQUIRED (45 MINS). WE RECEIVED A BETTER THAN EXPECTED CLB, WITHOUT LEVELOFF, TO FL230. AFTER LESS THAN A MIN, WE WERE DENIED TO FL310 AS PLANNED. WE ATTEMPTED TO GET FL350, BUT WERE CLBED DUE TO TFC, TO CONSERVE EVEN MORE RESERVE FUEL. UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE LOWERED TO FL280 EARLIER THAN PLANNED, BUT STILL EXPECTED TO LAND WITH OUR NORMAL 1000 LBS PER HR RESERVE. ZDC CHANGED OUR ARR ROUTING 3 TIMES AND BEGAN TO VECTOR US AROUND. AT ONE POINT, AS MUCH AS 100 DEGS R OF COURSE. I EXPLAINED WE'D PREFER TO CONTINUE AS PER ARR TO CONSERVE FUEL, AND WE WERE CLRED AS REQUESTED. NEXT CTLR AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO VECTOR US 30 DEGS R OF COURSE, THEN 60 DEGS R. AT THAT POINT, I DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL. THE CTLR RAISED HIS VOICE AND SAID 'YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY AIRPLANE IN THE SKY' AND HE'D 'LET APCH DEAL WITH US.' BY THE TONE, I EXPECTED PROFANITY AT THE END OF IT. CLT APCH ASKED IF WE WERE MINIMUM FUEL. I DECLARED WE HAD APPROX 1 HR FUEL ON BOARD AND COULD TAKE MINIMAL VECTORING. WE DID RECEIVE SOME VECTORS BUT WERE ABLE TO LAND WITH 600-650 LBS, OR APPROX 30-40 MINS CRUISE FUEL. WHILE NOT AN EMER SIT, I'D HAVE PREFERRED A MORE UNDERSTANDING CTLR AND COULD DO WITHOUT THE DIATRIBE. I THINK THE CTLR MAY HAVE THOUGHT WE DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL TO GET PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT (NOT THE CASE) AND THAT MADE HIM ANGRY. ATC SHOULD TAKE MINIMUM FUEL DECLARATIONS SERIOUSLY AND NOT MAKE THE SIT WORSE BY USING THREATENING LANGUAGE. THIS WAS MY FIRST MINIMUM FUEL DECLARATION OF MY CAREER, AND I WAS HARDLY 'CRYING WOLF.'

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.