Upon request, the dispatchers can add "Local Maneuvering Fuel" to your required fuel total, it allows for approach maneuvering. For example, you can ask for this when you anticipate long downwinds into ATL in IFR wx. Yes, a long downwind/final can put you overburn easily by 1000# and the flight planning software can't predict that. LMF is also useful when your takeoff weight is limited by your maximum landing weight on a short flight-- this will increase your projected burnoff and allow more payload to be carried.

One more titbit-- dispatch has a lot of tools to help you. Many of these things are transparent to the ALP, just give them a call and ask. Remember after you block out on a flight, a call to disp. must be on a recorded line, so call on ATL radio, or if using a cell phone ask for the call to be recorded.

You lost 2 percent for the new ss withholding. You could have lost your 401k contribution and your 401k catchup if your over 50 and maxed them in 2012. If you flew a lot you could have maxed the 415C limit in which case the company 14 percent is paid as cash rather then a retirement contribution until the new year starts. Go back on Delta net and compare your 31 Dec statement to your statement today. Much easier then speculating on the forum as to what happened. They do make mistakes so you should look at the checks.

Hey Sailing do you know the meaning of then and than. Your misuse of those two words, are they intentional. As in more than and way back then. it should read, much easier THAN speculating.

Also look at FICA for December. You probably did not pay as you had already maxed out. Look a September for more accurate comparison.

Sj, I promise next trip in going to watch it and see. I've got nothing else to do up there, I seriously don't read books or do crossword puzzles. I'm bored out of my mind but it keeps me out of trouble. And I won't elaborate any more than that. :D

BTW, if the oil painting was $36,000, just imagine what the copper statue with the gold plating cost!?!

http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/a...psf0d2a73b.png

Watch the Fix to Fix burn too. The Bus does automatic abeam points doesn't it? Even from SAV to ATL?

There was a (former NE) 727 Capt. up in BOS when I was a new hire who drove all the engineers nuts. About every 15 minutes, on a 3 hour leg, with good weather at the destination, he would turn around, study the fuel panel, rub his hands together, stamp his feet, rub his hands on his thighs, say something like, "Yes indeedy, yes in deed a roo. My oh My...How much Fuel we got?"

After about the 4th time he asked me, in one hour, I nearly took the metal log book out of the desk and smacked him over the head with it! His other favorite trick was to call mx up to the cockpit and argue with them about the radar test pattern not being right. With no weather forecast anywhere on our route, he nearly refused to take a jet once because he didn't like the test pattern, and that was on the old round green radars, which were about useless anyway!

To say this guy was a Nervous Nelly would be a huge understatement.

Then after the Western merger, the first Western Capt. to transfer into BOS was one of their "Peaches" who's initials were SB, if any of you Western guys know of him.

This clown would call up the dispatcher from the motel before pickup, ask him how much fuel he intended to put on the jet for his flight...and then tell the dispatcher, "Take some off, we don't need to be hauling all that fuel around!"

They are out there, but most of the real nut jobs retired a long time ago. And you wonder why Delta paid a shrink to interview us? These two guys were part of the reason!

Sayyyy.. wait a minute.. I was based in BOS.....However, they don't make 'em like Jimmy B. any more, covered a multitude of sins. He sure had a full deck up there.