What if you arrive to initialy fix and atc says that you nead to hold 15 min. And you have just to alternate plus 45 min or 30 min at 1500ft.
Would you wait 15 min or you should go to alternate.
If you leave with legal minimum fuel, you have NO holding fuel at destination. So if ATC ask you to hold 15, 10, even 5mins you have to divert straight away.
Point is why not always take some small amount of extra fuel and whats the policies of other companies
I always take more than min fuel, how much more depends on forecast or actual weather and traffic conditions. Every company ive worked for have had the "its up to the flight crew how much extra fuel you take, thats why you get paid the big bucks" policy.
Taking extra fuel is also required by some countries AIP's, for example the UK AIP says you should anticipate and fuel appropriately for 20mins holding when opperating into the london TMA.
Last edited by FlyingTinCans; 23rd June 2011 at 23:19.