Fuel Policy

Question 1

Pre flight planning.

What is the basic Tenant of BA fuel policy?

Answer 1

To land at 2 airfields or 2 RWYs at the same airfield with at least reserves in tanks. The commander must take into account any information upto the point of dispatch.

OMA 8.18.1-20

Question 2

What is the weight change line on Cirrus used for?

Answer 2

For an increase in ZFW upto 5T

More than 5T increase requires a new cirrus

OMA 8.18.2

Question 3

Define Reserve Fuel

Answer 3

Reserve fuel is the minimum fuel required to be remaining in tanks at normal landing.

Calculates as 30 minutes holding fuel at 1500 ft clean at Planned Landing Weight at the Alternate Airfield or destination if no alternate is required.

Question 4

How is contingency fuel calculated?

Answer 4

1) SCF 99%, 95% or 5 mins holding fuel @ 1500’ at PLW
2) No ERA - 5% x trip fuel or 20 mins flying time at planned trip consumption
3) ERA avail - 3% x trip fuel or 20 mins flying time at planned trip consumption.

In all cases a minimum of 5 mins holding fuel @ 1500 ft clean at PLW

OMA 8.18.10

Question 5

How can you dispatch with a last minute increase in fuel without refuelling?

Answer 5

1) CI 0
2) Reduce below statistical taxi fuel
3) reduce contingency fuel to a minimum of 5 minutes
4) Dispatch without a destination alternate

OMA 8.18.16

Question 6

How can you dispatch without a destination alternate?

Answer 6

a) planned flight time less than 6 hrs
b) 2 independent runways
c) Visibility ETA +/- 1 hr = 5 km
d) Cloud ceiling ETA +/- 1 hr = 2000’ or circling + 500’
e) Increase reserve fuel by 50% (ie diversion fuel is replaced by 15 mins holding at 1500 ft)

OMA 8.18.8

Question 7

What flight time and temperature at destination would need you to look at the tankering winter restrictions?

Answer 7

1 hr 15 mins - 4 hrs

OAT at destination is -2 C to + 10 C with preciptation or high himidity (Dew Point within 2 C of OAT)

Further details in OMA 8.18.19

Question 8

What are the fuel penalties for changing the Cirrus weights?

Answer 8

1) Use cirrus wt change line or 3% /hr
2) Inc ZFW = T+C+D+R (times) x 4%
3) Inc Div = T+C (times) x 4%
4) inc Fuel = T (time) x 4%

OMA 8.18.20

Question 9

Define a fuel shortfall in flight?

Answer 9

If a fuel check shows that the aircraft will land at destination with less than Diversion + Reserve (ie less than total reserve)

OMA 8.18.23

Question 10

If you might land with less than Div+Res, what should do?

Answer 10

1) Reduce fuel consumption (CI 0?) and/or
2) Select a closer destination alternate
3) Or land somewhere else ie divert

OM A 8.18.23

Question 11

How can you continue towards destination when a fuel check indicates less than Div+Res?

Answer 11

Question 12

Define landing assured.

Define plausible failure of airborne equipmet.

Answer 12

A landing can be completed in the event of any forecast WX deterioration AND any plausible single failure of any ground AND airborne facilities (eg a failure which would downgrade the planned ldg status from Cat 3A to Cat 2)

Plausible failure - Colin Seaman definition - anything contained in the QRH!

OM A 8.18.23

Question 13

What does a minimum fuel call to ATC mean?

Answer 13

Having committed to an aerodrome, any change to the existing clearance to that commited aerodrome may result in landing with less than reserve

OMA 8.18.24

Question 14

How is a fuel emergency declared?

Answer 14

MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY FUEL and fuel remaining in mins, when landing at the nearest Aerodrome is calculated to be less than Reserves.

OMA 8.18.24

Question 15

An altitude of 4000 ft below the optimum incurs a penalty of XX % of fuel.

Same question but 8000 ft below optimum

Answer 15

4000 ft below — Approx 5%

8000 ft below — More than 10%

Question 16

Flight more than XXXX ft above optimum FL is unlikley to be efficient except in the case of unusualy large difference in wind component

Answer 16

2000 ft

Question 17

Flight above optimum FL is relatively LESS or MORE efficient than flight below optimum FL

Answer 17

LESS efficient

OM A 8.18.21

Question 18

The penalty for carriage of extra fuel is about XX % of extra fuel per hour of flight

Answer 18

3 %

OM A 8.18.18

Question 19

If there is a likelihood of a diversion at destination, then fuel should normally be carried to allow the XXXXX alternate to be reached with normal reserves

Answer 19

Commercial alternate

OM A 8.18.18

Question 20

MAX DELAY NOT KNOWN AND EAT NOT RECEIVED

At any time, it must be possible to reach….

Answer 20

possible to reach at least 2 aerodromes at which landing is assured

Question 21

MAX DELAY NOT KNOWN AND EAT NOT RECEIVED

If within 6 hours:

Answer 21

Possible to arrive at destination with at least reserve fuel + 15 mins holding fuel IF:

2 seperate rwys are available and usable at the destination ETA +/- 1hr

Vis will be at least 5 km AND ceiling at least 2000 ft or circling ht + 500 ft, whichever is the greater

Question 22

MAX DELAY NOT KNOWN AND EAT NOT RECEIVED

If destination within 2 hrs flying time:

Answer 22

2 seperate rwys are considered to be equivalent to 2 aerodromes, provided account is taken of any likely ATC delay

(using experience and local knowledge)

Question 23

MAX DELAY KNOWN OR EAT RECEIVED

Answer 23

At any time, the flight may continue to destination or hold, regardless of the number of runways, as long as landing is assured and it is possible to reach the destination with at least Reserve fuel remaining at touchdown

Colin Seaman - don’t commit to worse than Cat 1 airfield in LVOs - EVER! (single plausible failure…)

Question 24

Forecasts should be used to assess the probability of ldg success when more than XX hours from the relevant aerodrome

Within XX hours, YYY may be used

Answer 24

2 hours

within 2 hours, actual weather reports and trend infomation may be used

Question 25

In theory, a SCF of 95% impies that…

Answer 25

95% of flights would land with all their diversion and reserve fuel intact

Question 26

Australian rules for extra fuel carriage:-

If weather at destination is forecast to be worse than its own alterante minima….

Answer 26

… extra fuel must be carried to cover the NOTAM-ed traffic holding period at the Alternate

Question 27

Destination Alternate or ERA

If the lowest minima available is CAT 2, OTS Cat 2 or Cat 3 - the planning minima becomes:

Answer 27

Cat 1 RVR

NB: cloud ceiling is not a factor

Question 28

Destination Alternate or ERA:-

Lowest minima available - Cat 1 or LTS Cat 1 - planning minima becomes:

Answer 28

Non Precision Approach RVR/VIS

NB: Ceiling shall be at or above MDH

NB: Ceiling refers to either BKN or OVC cloud

Question 29

Destination Alternate or ERA:-

Lowest minima available - non precision approach (NPA) - planning minima becomes:

Answer 29

NPA RVR/VIS + 1000 m

Ceiling shall be at or above MDH + 200 ft

NB: Ceiling refers to BKN or OVC only

Question 30

Destination Alternate or ERA:-

Lowest minima available - circling approach - planning minima becomes:

Answer 30

No change - stays at circling minima

Question 31

ETOPS planning minima

For a precision approach, add XXX ft to the DA and YYY m to the RVR/VIS

Answer 31

DA + 200 ft

RVR/VIS + 800m

Question 32

ETOPS planning minima

For a non precision approach, add XXX ft to the DA and XXX m to the RVR/VIS

Answer 32

DA + 400 ft

RVR/VIS + 1500 m

Question 33

ETOPS planning minima

What do the planning minima additives become for CAT 2/3 Etops alternates?

Answer 33

DA + 200 ft

RVR/VIS + 800m

OM A 8.21.5

Question 34

Policy for diversion to LGW

Between when and when should aircraft NOT divert to LGW until advice has been sought from Ops Control

Answer 34

Beginnimg of May till the end of September

Question 35

The 4 types of LIDO airfield classifications and their colurs) are:

Answer 35

BA destination (blue)

Primary (green)

Secondary (yellow)

Aircraft Emergency (red)

Question 36

For USA, Canada and Saudi, replanning a new destination alternate IN FLIGHT, the weather must be forecast to be better than…

Answer 36

… the appropriate alternate minima.

NB: If an in-flight diversion is made, the alternate becomes the diversion and normal destination minima apply

OM A 8.2.5.n

Question 37

T/O Alternates Planning Minima

All States apart from USA, Canada, Saudi - Normal op minima apply - eng failure considerations must be considered.

The ceiling must be taken into account when the only approaches are XXX

Answer 37

NPA and/or circling

Question 38

Destination Aerodrome Planning Minima

Which RVR apply?

For NPA or circling approaches what else applies?

Answer 38

Normal operating RVR applies

Cloud ceiling at or above the minimum specified on the IAC for NPA or circling approaches