ferris,
The rules are fairly universal, and not something that applies to our company alone. While in an ideal world we all would like to fly around with 30 or 60 mins extra fuel all the time, this is not always desirable or indeed possible in the real world due to performance limitations, structural limitations, etc. I'm leaving economy out of the equation, but fuel cost...
For whatever reasons, we sometimes find ourselves approaching an airport with close to minimum fuel. Maybe enough for 1 or 2 turns in the hold. A diversion means I've got fuel from dest. airport to div. airport + 30 mins hold at div. airport. If I divert, I do not expect vectors way off my diversion plan route, or to be kept 8-10000 ft below my requested FL. That will put me in a fuel emergency right away. As per the book, landing with less than final reserve fuel (30 mins hold) WILL generate a Mayday call.
Throw the UAE met offices complete inability to forecast anything but CAVOK into the mix...if you have been working the last week or so you will know what I mean.
By the end of the day I may have planned and conducted my flight by the book, but the system may slap me in the face by suspending me. What the problem is? I'm not in the most flexible corner of the world, that’s what the problem is.
Ok, I did not start this tread to criticize, only to gain some knowledge which I will base my future planning on.
From your side of the table, IMHO you should view any diverting flight as fuel critical right from the beginning.
Thanks for the kind words, fart.
Horrible story, and I dare say the vast majority of us would have screamed MAYDAY long before getting ourselves into a situation like that.
I've got no axe to grind with UAE or DXB controllers, the meteorologists on the other hand...
DCT LOVOL, high speed, thank you!