Originally Posted by
Lead Balloon
Why would I be carrying fuel for an alternate?
It’s not an emergency from my perspective. I’m in contact with people on the ground and I can see what’s happening with the removal of the aircraft. The worst case scenario is that I land over the disabled aircraft onto the longest remaining into wind runway space. I can blab “mayday” on the radio, but people with an understanding of the problem and an ability to help are already there.
Others have already made the point that rules tailored for high capacity international and domestic operations into big people’s airports aren’t really practical for third world GA.
You've made the case for carrying an alternate- you just can't know you will be able to land at your destination.
It's what I'm saying about Australia being different. I flew overseas for 14 years. I didn't do the flight-planning, professional dispatchers did to the rules in place, which were all roughly similar.
I didn't depart without fuel to a filed alternate once in all that time.
Your perspective is irrelevant. You are subject to the regulations you fly to, and if you have less that FR fuel, it's an emergency.
Now, lets say there ate three aircraft all trying to land once the disabled aircraft has been removed- which one has priority to land?
The one who has declared an emergency, obviously.
I'm still not seeing the problem- what exactly is it about "blabbing Mayday"- that is, identifying yourself as an aircraft in a legally defined state of distress-that is in any way detrimental to your situation?