fly_lt_w_mitty
On the remote chance that you might bother to read something that disagrees with your entrenched views - and possibly even learn from it - try the following:
NW1 - I see you fly the 'pointy thing' ('PT'). I think you are a bit 'out of the loop', then are you not?
Why do you think a Concorde pilot must be "a bit out of the loop"? Please enlighten us with your reasoning.
When did you last hold?
Speaking as another "bit out of the loop pilot", very recently.
COULD you hold?
Yes.
Certainly in the days when Big A WAS the world's favourite you could not!
Not true. If you wish to base your postings on rumour and gossip, present them as such, don’t try to pass them off as fact.
Perhaps now you can?
Yes, just as before.
As soon as PT arrives on the scene, ATC implement 'PT ALERT' ATC plan and everyone else shuffles around and gets a couple more mins in the hold.
Please post a copy of this ‘PT ALERT’ plan, so that those of us who might benefit from it can see it. I’ve never heard of it.
Big actively encourage the use of contingency fuel to absorb delays before take-off. Its in your 'bible'. Legal, but......? Not for me!
If the delays before take-off are unexpected, and were not known about prior to taxy, then of course I will use my contingency fuel - that is what it is there for.
If delays before take-off are expected, we will either load more taxy fuel, or try to co-ordinate our start up with ATC to minimise delay at the hold.
Your other points have already been answered, and I see no point in repeating what others have already said.
Captain H Peacock
Well, I must give you credit for getting me to look at what the SRG has actually published, as opposed to a company translation, which can’t be a bad thing!
I think I see the point you are making, but as I haven’t read the documents you refer to in their entirety, nor compared what they require with our written fuel policy, I can’t comment until I have.
What I can say is that personally I have never been put under any pressure about the amount of fuel I carry, nor been asked afterward to justify a fuel load. Neither have I seen any league tables, or my position in them, although I gather others may have.
120.4
As I don’t know the full details of the incident you quote at the start of this thread, I won’t comment on the actions of the crew. Our initial assumption should be that they acted properly, unless and until it is proved otherwise.
However the situation you found yourself in is obviously highly undesirable, and I would hope that normally you would receive much earlier warning from an aircraft that was getting low on fuel.
Under our company procedures, you should receive a "PAN" call as soon as it is apparent that the aircraft may land with less than Reserve fuel (roughly 30 minutes flying) and a "MAYDAY" call as soon as it is evident that the aircraft will land with less than Reserve fuel. Both calls should be accompanied by an estimate of the flying time remaining in minutes.
This should mean that any aircraft on approach, that has not made either call, has sufficient fuel remaining safely to accomplish a Go-Around, circuit and landing.
In addition to the above compulsory radio calls, if getting down towards a fuel limit, I try to tell your colleague on Approach, a good few minutes ahead of decision time, how much longer I can hang around for, and what my options or intentions will be thereafter.
A significant part of the "Good Airmanship" we all aspire to is good communications with ATC.
Regards
Bellerophon