Originally Posted by
Windshearescape
I could have taken plog fuel on every single flight I've ever done and not come unstuck once. Fuel is a decision based on mathematics not emotion .
It’s all about experience, not emotion - and maybe the following doesn’t apply to your operation, as if you’ve ever operated LH to N. America in the summer for example, you’d know that storms can be much worse than forecast, with ATC re-routes MILES (and I mean MILES!) in the wrong direction before being cleared for an arrival from a completely different direction, then there’s possible metering on the return plus more re-routes if there’s weather out there, the forecast winds can be inaccurate, there can be lots of vectoring at low level, runway changes (JFK!)...
I don’t claim to know and will never know it all, but I consider myself a fairly experienced SFO and if my skipper is not looking to take an extra half to one tonne on an average summer’s day heading westbound then I’d be piping up and suggesting otherwise, that’s my job. The skipper has overall responsibility for the flight however, whether it’s my sector or not, and If they still don’t want to take more than min fuel then I’d be happy that I’ve done my bit (unless there’s a mandatory safety reason to take more). Yes, we mighn’t need it, but even on a good day, in my experience, we usually end up needing it and I’d be watching that fuel like a hawk. Any diversion required for a splash and dash is then on their head. Luckily this scenario rarely happens in our airline - we’re all pretty experienced, respect one another as equally important parts of a professional team and we’re singing from the same hymn sheet from the get-go. Good recruitment, good training, good CRM, mutual respect, some experience of the routes being flown and a sense of humour and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a good trip/day out, whichever seat you’re sat in, whether the guy’s into watches, cars or plane spotting!