Perhaps a thought from a long-hauler may be appropriate?
When one faces the prospect of a 13-14hour trip into the Northern Winter with the commercial object of maximising payload [which, to be fair, is why our employers are in business!!
], it helps to have a reasonable company/regulator fuel policy [the latter, of course, approving the former's policy via the Ops Manual.]
In our case, additions are made to the "normal" policy [and permitted 'deductions' barred!] to permit some guarantee for payload planning, yet leaving both a legal and safe fuel uplift available. Offload of payload is permitted to take fuel above the 'minimum' requirement, but must be done in conjunction with our company controllers. Company preference is to drop in somewhere to get gas and take the payload offered.
Naturally, between Asia and Europe, there's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip! Thus, when we arrive to hold at LAM, we may not have as much gas as one would desire, but things do get "tight". What I emphasise here is that long-haulers can get caught out due to circumstances way beyond their control or foreseeable ken, and VERY close to the destination [Boing has but one example; try the Thai's closing VTBD at short notice for "VIP movement" well outside the oft Notammed periods!!
]
Enough of long-haul defence. May I thoroughly endorse Wiley's approach to the task. It's what I do and teach, but surprisingly comes as a novelty to some. I wonder if I shouldn't cut'n'paste it as I couldn't have put it better. Thanks!
G'day
