Narrative:

Arriving at the aircraft 1 hour before departure; proceeded to operations for paperwork. Noticed an unusual flight plan with ferry fuel of 24.3 added and filed for FL260 even though tops along our route were at FL320 and turbulence and icing reports were present. Wanted the ferry fuel taken off flight plan so that we could get to FL380 for smooth ride and above WX. Fueling had already been done prior to signing off on the flight plan and we were now stuck with too much fuel or face de-fueling or other remedy. Took the aircraft with the fuel load only after confirming with dispatch that we could get to FL380 still. This is the third time where ferry fuel was desired to be offloaded but had already been put on the aircraft. Ride was rough at FL360 and we could not get to FL380 for weight. Bounced along at FL260 and then went down lower to escape bad ride where FL380 was smooth. Upon arrival; had to do 25 degree flap landing due to gusty winds and margins near flap speeds to do a 30 degree flap landing. Landed on runway xx and had to go through intersection because of our fast approach speed due to gusty winds 230 degrees at 19 KTS gusting to 28 KTS and lower flap setting. Adding ferry fuel made this a very unsafe operation because it does not take into account all the other parameters needed to adequately plan for the current conditions. Fuel should not be loaded until signed off by captain which would have been 45 mins prior to departure. Plenty of time. Not happy with the idea that economic conditions are made that adversely affect safety. Do not board ferry fuel until the captain (and dispatch) have assessed conditions and signed the release.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-300 CAPTAIN FEELS DECISION TO BOARD FERRY FUEL PRIOR TO FLT CREW EXAMINATION OF THE FLT PLAN COMPROMISED HIS ABILITY TO MANAGE ENROUTE ALTITUDES TO THE BEST ADVANTAGE.

Narrative: ARRIVING AT THE ACFT 1 HR BEFORE DEP; PROCEEDED TO OPS FOR PAPERWORK. NOTICED AN UNUSUAL FLT PLAN WITH FERRY FUEL OF 24.3 ADDED AND FILED FOR FL260 EVEN THOUGH TOPS ALONG OUR RTE WERE AT FL320 AND TURB AND ICING RPTS WERE PRESENT. WANTED THE FERRY FUEL TAKEN OFF FLT PLAN SO THAT WE COULD GET TO FL380 FOR SMOOTH RIDE AND ABOVE WX. FUELING HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE PRIOR TO SIGNING OFF ON THE FLT PLAN AND WE WERE NOW STUCK WITH TOO MUCH FUEL OR FACE DE-FUELING OR OTHER REMEDY. TOOK THE ACFT WITH THE FUEL LOAD ONLY AFTER CONFIRMING WITH DISPATCH THAT WE COULD GET TO FL380 STILL. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME WHERE FERRY FUEL WAS DESIRED TO BE OFFLOADED BUT HAD ALREADY BEEN PUT ON THE ACFT. RIDE WAS ROUGH AT FL360 AND WE COULD NOT GET TO FL380 FOR WT. BOUNCED ALONG AT FL260 AND THEN WENT DOWN LOWER TO ESCAPE BAD RIDE WHERE FL380 WAS SMOOTH. UPON ARR; HAD TO DO 25 DEG FLAP LNDG DUE TO GUSTY WINDS AND MARGINS NEAR FLAP SPDS TO DO A 30 DEG FLAP LNDG. LANDED ON RWY XX AND HAD TO GO THROUGH INTXN BECAUSE OF OUR FAST APCH SPD DUE TO GUSTY WINDS 230 DEGS AT 19 KTS GUSTING TO 28 KTS AND LOWER FLAP SETTING. ADDING FERRY FUEL MADE THIS A VERY UNSAFE OP BECAUSE IT DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL THE OTHER PARAMETERS NEEDED TO ADEQUATELY PLAN FOR THE CURRENT CONDITIONS. FUEL SHOULD NOT BE LOADED UNTIL SIGNED OFF BY CAPT WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN 45 MINS PRIOR TO DEP. PLENTY OF TIME. NOT HAPPY WITH THE IDEA THAT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ARE MADE THAT ADVERSELY AFFECT SAFETY. DO NOT BOARD FERRY FUEL UNTIL THE CAPT (AND DISPATCH) HAVE ASSESSED CONDITIONS AND SIGNED THE RELEASE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.