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Fuel Planning and Management PDF
Fuel Planning and Management PDF
“JAR-OPS 1.255
An operator must establish a fuel policy for the purpose of flight planning and in-
flight replanning to ensure that every flight carries sufficient fuel for the planned
operation and reserves to cover deviations from the planned operation.”
Although fuel quantity varies in accordance with national regulations, the JAR-
OPS requirements and the various national regulations are very similar.
The minimum fuel quantity (Q) calculated for flight planning is defined as:
Q = taxifuel + TF + CF + AF + FR + Add + XF
Where
• TF = Trip Fuel
• CF = Contingency Fuel
• AF = Alternate Fuel
• FR = Final Reserve Fuel
• Add = Additional Fuel
• XF = Extra Fuel
Figure I1 illustrates the different fuel quantities and associated flight phases of
a typical trip.
The following operating conditions should be taken into account for each flight:
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FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance
The required fuel quantity from brake release at the departure airport to the
landing touchdown at the destination airport, is referred to as trip fuel. This quantity
takes into account the necessary fuel for:
• Takeoff
• Climb to cruise level
• Flight from the end of climb to the beginning of descent, including any
step climb/descent
• Flight from the beginning of descent to the beginning of approach,
• Approach
• Landing at the destination airport
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Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
• The fuel necessary to fly for 5 minutes at 1500 feet above the destination
airport at holding speed in ISA conditions
• One of the following quantities:
¾ 5% of trip fuel,
¾ With airworthiness approval, 3% of trip fuel with an available en route
alternate airport*,
¾ With airworthiness approval, the necessary fuel to fly for 15 minutes at
1500 feet above the destination airport, at holding speed, in ISA conditions;
the Operator must have a program to monitor fuel consumption on each
individual route / aircraft combination and must use the program to
statistically calculate contingency fuel
¾ The required fuel to fly for 20 minutes, based upon trip fuel consumption,
provided the operator has a fuel consumption monitoring program for
individual airplanes and uses the resulting data for fuel calculation.
Arrival
732 NM
Radius equal to 915 NM
20% of the total
distance.
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FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance
The final reserve fuel is the minimum fuel required to fly for 30 minutes at
1,500 feet above the alternate airport or destination airport, if an alternate is not
required, at holding speed in ISA conditions.
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Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
• Taxi fuel
• Trip fuel
• Contingency fuel, as calculated in the standard fuel policy
• Additional fuel: This quantity must be higher than the quantity necessary
for a two hour flight at cruise rating above the destination airport; final
reserve fuel is included in this amount
• Extra fuel, is at the Captain’s discretion.
An alternate airport is not required, when all of the following conditions are
met:
This procedure permits aircraft to carry less contingency fuel than in the
standard case.
Operators select a point called the decision point along the planned route
(Figure I2). At this point, the pilot has two possibilities:
1
Separate runways: Separate landing surfaces which do not overlay or cross such that if one of the
runways is blocked, it will not prevent the plane type from operating on the other one, and each has a
separate approach procedure based on a separate aid
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FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance
[F2:] sum of
• Taxi fuel;
• The estimated fuel consumption from the departure aerodrome to a suitable
en-route alternate, via the decision point;
• Contingency fuel equal to not less than 3% of the estimated fuel consumption
from the departure aerodrome to the en-route alternate;
• Final reserve fuel;
• Additional fuel; and
• Extra fuel if required by the commander.”
Which gives:
Comparing the standard fuel planning and the decision point procedure fuel
planning, the maximum contingency fuel reduction is 5% of the trip fuel between
A and B.
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Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
A B C
E alternate
The fuel required is airport
the greater of :
F1 = taxi A + tripAC + 51% trip BC + additional (min 2 hours of normal cruise consumption) + extra
F2 = taxi A + trip AE + 1
5 % trip AE + additional (min 30 mn at 1500 ft at holding speed) + extra
1
3% if an en route alternate exists
Figure I3: Pre-determined Point Procedure
1
For more information, refer to the “ Getting to Grips with ETOPS” brochure.
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FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance
If one of these critical scenarios occurs, the aircraft must be able to follow a
particular procedure (see Figure I5) :
• Descend to FL100
• Continue cruise
• Descend to 1,500 feet when approaching the diversion airport
• Hold for 15 minutes
• Make a missed approach
• Execute a normal second approach
• Land.
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Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
For an ETOPS flight, the minimum onboard fuel quantity must be the greatest
of the standard fuel planning and of the sum of the following quantities:
• Taxi fuel
• Trip fuel from departure to the critical point (with all engines operative)
• Trip fuel from the critical point to a suitable en route alternate airport,
taking into account the critical scenarios
• Reserves:
¾ 5% of trip fuel, to cover weather forecast errors
¾ 5% of trip fuel or demonstrated performance factor to cover
aircraft performance deterioration
¾ A percentage of trip fuel to cover icing conditions when
necessary (depending on aircraft type)
• APU consumption if needed
• Fuel for a 15-minute holding at 1,500 feet
• Fuel for a missed approach
• Fuel for a second approach and landing.
JAR-OPS 1.375
The pilot must arrive over the destination with enough fuel to ensure flight
safety.
The following illustrates a standard arrival profile.
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FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance
The minimum regulatory fuel above the destination threshold shall be the
minimum amount of fuel enabling the aircraft to reach the alternate airport. It is
defined as follows:
If the expected remaining fuel on arrival at the destination airport is less than
the alternate fuel plus the final reserve, the Captain must consider the prevailing
traffic and operational conditions at the destination airport, along the diversion route
to the destination alternate airport, when deciding whether to go on to the destination,
or to divert.
In this case, the minimum fuel remaining on board at landing shall be the Final
Reserve Fuel.
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Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
• Domestic Operations
¾ Between any points within the 48 contiguous States of the United States
or the District of Columbia; or
¾ Operations solely within the 48 contiguous States of the United States or
the District of Columbia; or
¾ Operations entirely within any State, territory, or possession of the United
States; or
¾ When specifically authorized by the Administrator, operations between
any point within the 48 contiguous States of the United States or the District
of Columbia and any specifically authorized point located outside the 48
contiguous States of the United States or the District of Columbia.
• Flag Operations
¾ Between any point within the State of Alaska or the State of Hawaii or any
territory or possession of the United States and any point outside the State of
Alaska or the State of Hawaii or any territory or possession of the United
States, respectively; or
¾ Between any point within the 48 contiguous States of the United States or
the District of Columbia and any point outside the 48 contiguous States of the
United States and the District of Columbia.
¾ Between any point outside the U.S. and another point outside the U.S.
• Supplemental Operations
¾ Operations for which the departure time, departure location, and arrival
location are specifically negotiated with the customer or the customer's
representative.
¾ All-cargo operations.
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FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance
The required fuel quantity for a safe trip along the planned route is calculated
for each flight. Each operator has its own fuel policy. This policy is based on the
loading of minimum regulatory fuel requirements (FAR 121).
“FAR 121.639
No person may dispatch or take off an airplane unless it has enough fuel--
(a) To fly to the airport to which it is dispatched
(b) Thereafter, to fly to and land at the most distant alternate airport (where required)
for the airport to which dispatched; and
(c) Thereafter, to fly for 45 minutes at normal cruising fuel consumption.”
The minimum fuel quantity (Q) calculated for domestic operation is defined as:
Q = taxifuel + TF + AF + FR
Where:
• TF = Trip fuel
• AF = Alternate fuel
• FR = Final reserve fuel
Figure I7 illustrates the different fuel quantities and associated flight phases
during a typical trip.
Final
reserve
fuel
Trip fuel
Alternate
Taxi
fuel
fuel
Parking
IFR procedure
Missed approach
Brake release Wheel touch down
DEPARTURE DESTINATION ALTERNATE
Figure I7: Fuel Quantities for Domestic Operation
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Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
The required fuel quantity from brake release at the departure airport to the
landing touchdown at the destination airport. This quantity takes into account the
necessary fuel for:
• Takeoff
• Climb to cruise level
• Flight from the end of climb to the beginning of descent
• Flight from the beginning of descent to the beginning of approach
• Approach
• Landing at the destination airport
• Anticipated traffic delays.
Alternate fuel is the amount necessary to fly to the most distant alternate
airport, and takes into account:
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FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance
The final reserve fuel is the minimum fuel required to fly for 45 minutes at
normal cruise consumption.
“FAR 121.645
(b) Any certificate holder conducting flag or supplemental operations, […] considering
wind and other weather conditions expected, must have enough fuel--
(1) To fly to and land at the airport to which it is released;
(2) After that, to fly for a period of 10 percent of the total time required to fly from
the airport of departure to, and land at, the airport to which it was released;
(3) After that, to fly to and land at the most distant alternate airport specified in the
flight release, if an alternate is required; and
(4) After that, to fly for 30 minutes at holding speed at 1,500 feet above the alternate
airport (or the destination airport if no alternate is required) under standard
temperature conditions.”
The minimum fuel quantity (Q) calculated for flight planning is defined as:
Q = taxifuel + TF + CF + AF + FR + Add
Where:
• TF = Trip fuel
• CF = Contingency fuel
• AF = Alternate fuel
• FR = Final reserve fuel
• Add = Additional fuel
Figure I8 illustrates the different fuel quantities and associated flight phases of
a typical trip.
The following operating conditions should be taken into account for each flight:
184
Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
The Final Reserve Fuel is the minimum fuel required to fly for 30 minutes at
1,500 feet above the alternate airport, or the destination airport, if an alternate is not
required, at holding speed in ISA conditions.
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FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance
• Taxi fuel
• Trip fuel
• Additional fuel: This quantity must be higher than the quantity necessary
for a two hour flight at normal cruise consumption.
“FAR 121.619
(a) […] However, no alternate airport is required if for at least 1 hour before and 1
hour after the estimated time of arrival at the destination airport the appropriate
weather reports or forecasts, or any combination of them, indicate--
(1) The ceiling will be at least 2,000 feet above the airport elevation; and
(2) Visibility will be at least 3 miles1.”
“FAR 121.621
(1) The flight is scheduled for not more than 6 hours and, for at least 1 hour before
and 1 hour after the estimated time of arrival at the destination airport, the
appropriate weather reports or forecasts, or any combination of them, indicate the
ceiling will be:
(i) At least 1,500 feet above the lowest circling MDA, if a circling approach is
required and authorized for that airport; or
(ii) At least 1,500 feet above the lowest published instrument approach minimum
or 2,000 feet above the airport elevation, whichever is greater; and
1
Miles stands for Statute Miles (1 mile = 1,609 m).
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Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
(iii) The visibility at that airport will be at least 3 miles, or 2 miles more than the
lowest applicable visibility minimums, whichever is greater, for the instrument
approach procedures to be used at the destination airport.”
This procedure permits aircraft to carry less contingency fuel than in the
standard case. This is interesting in case of fuel capacity, or takeoff limitations.
Operators select a point called the decision point along the planned route (Figure I9).
At this point, the pilot has two possibilities:
This procedure is interesting for flag and supplemental operations, for which
contingency fuel depends on flight time. The FAR regulation states:
“FAR 121.631
(a) A certificate holder may specify any regular, provisional, or refueling
airport, authorized for the type of aircraft, as a destination for the purpose of
original dispatch or release
(b) No person may allow a flight to continue to an airport to which it has been
dispatched or released unless the weather conditions at an alternate airport that was
specified in the dispatch or flight release are forecast to be at or above the alternate
minimums specified in the operations specifications for that airport at the time the
aircraft would arrive at the alternate airport. However, the dispatch or flight release
may be amended en route to include any alternate airport that is within the fuel
range of the aircraft […]
(c) No person may change an original destination or alternate airport that is
specified in the original dispatch or flight release to another airport while the aircraft
is en route unless the other airport is authorized for that type of aircraft and the
appropriate requirements […] are met at the time of redispatch or amendment
of the flight release.”
D - Destination Alternate
E – Refueling Airport
F – Secondary Alternate
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FUEL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT Getting to Grips with Aircraft Performance
This rule applies to the destination airport, the destination alternate airport, or
any en route alternate airport.
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