Originally Posted by
topdrop
So LB, what's your cutoff figure for declaring an emergency - 15, 10, 1??
In a system of regulation based on
objective risk, the ‘cut off’ should be the point at which the circumstances
objectively constitute an emergency.
Calculating a landing with 29 minutes of reserve instead of 30 does not, objectively, constitute an emergency. Not on any planet that uses the usual definition of “objective”. The definition of the circumstances that justified a “MAYDAY” call never covered this crap.
I can understand the objective importance, from a safety perspective, of letting ATS know that an aircraft is likely to land with less than the minimum reserves calculated as being required for a flight, as soon as that likelihood becomes apparent. But making it a situation in which a “MAYDAY” is MANDATED, in circumstances in which the ATSB and CASA will descend to conduct an “investigation” of the “systemic” issues on a “just culture” basis so as to shaft the pilot? You can stick that up your a*se.
Why would anyone be surprised at the unwillingness of pilots to let ATS know that there may be a problem?
The problem is not so much the rules (assuming anyone has a clue what they mean). The problem is the contemporary consequences of breaching them.