LOW FUEL STATE IS SUGGESTED TO ARTCC RADAR CTLR AND ATC PRIORITY IS ASSIGNED TO FLT FOR LNDG AT DEST ARPT. TEXT INDICATES A LOW LEVEL OF COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT AND FLC COORD COM IN HESITANCY TO ACTUALLY DECLARE A LOW FUEL STATE. FLT TERMINATION AFTER EXTENDED OVERWATER OP.

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LOW FUEL DECLARATION MAN-JFK AUG/SAT/91. THE FLT DEPARTED MANCHESTER 10 MINS EARLY. THE TOTAL FLT TIME WAS 7+04 ACCORDING TO THE CFP. I ELECTED TO ADD AN EXTRA 1000 POUNDS OF FUEL OVER THE CFP REQUIRED FUEL. DURING THE XING; WE WERE UP MORE THAN 2000 POUNDS. WE WERE INFORMED BY BOSTON CENTER THAT WE COULD EXPECT DELAYS OF UP TO 30 MINS INTO JFK. WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO JFK. CENTER INFORMED OUR FLT TO HOLD AT TRAIT INTXN AT FL240 WITH AN EFC IN APPROX 30 MINS. THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM. PRIOR TO EFC TIME; WE WERE GIVEN A NEW EFC OF ANOTHER 20-30 MINS. THE FO ASKED IF WE SHOULD DECLARE LOW FUEL; BUT I ELECTED TO WAIT A WHILE LONGER TO SEE WHAT CENTER WAS GOING TO DO WITH THE TFC. AS WE APCHED LOW FUEL CONDITIONS; THE CENTER VECTORED US OUT OF THE HOLD. 1 OR 2 FLTS HAD ALREADY DECLARED LOW FUEL. WE STILL DID NOT DECLARE; BUT I ASKED HOW SOON COULD WE EXPECT CLRNC. CENTER WAS OPTIMISTIC THAT WE WERE GETTING CLOSE. I INFORMED CENTER A LOW FUEL SITUATION WAS IMMINENT BECAUSE THEY BEGAN VECTORING OUR FLT AWAY FROM THE ARPT AREA. WHEN I TOLD CENTER WE COULD ACCEPT THE ASSIGNED HDG; I ALSO TOLD THEM WE WERE APCHING LOW FUEL CONDITIONS. THE CTLR ASKED FOR A TIME ESTIMATE OF OUR FUEL. I TOLD HIM A QUICK GUESS WOULD GIVE US ABOUT 40 MINS BEFORE FLAMEOUT AT OUR PRESENT ALT AND SPD. WE INDICATED ABOUT 7000 POUNDS OF FUEL AND 80 MI TO THE ARPT AT 12000 FT. FUEL FLOW WAS APPROX 8200 POUNDS PER HR. I DON'T REMEMBER ACTUALLY DECLARING 'LOW FUEL'. I JUST REMEMBER SAYING THAT IF WE WERE TO GO ON MUCH LONGER IN THE WRONG DIRECTION; WE WOULD BE FORCED TO DECLARE. WE DID NOT GET A LOT OF PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT; BUT WE DID GET TURNED BACK TOWARD THE ARPT. WE USED THE MOST EFFICIENT METHODS OF FUEL CONSERVATION DURING OUT LETDOWN AND APCH. WE SPOOLED ENGS AT AROUND 700 FT AGL AND HAD A SHORT TAXI IN. WE BLOCKED IN WITH 5300 POUNDS INDICATED.