For those aviation brethren whom might not be familiar with fuel policy requirements within other (
i.e. non-FAA based) regulatory environments, here are the relevant regulations required within the UAE's Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR-OPS):
CAR-OPS 1.375 In-Flight Fuel Management
(a) ....
(b) A commander shall ensure that the amount of usable fuel remaining in flight is not less than the fuel required to proceed to an aerodrome where a safe landing can be made, with final reserve fuel remaining.
(c) The commander shall declare an emergency when the actual usable fuel on board is less than final reserve fuel.
The general principle is that:
If you
think you might land with fuel below 'final reserve' you will declare a PAN.
If you
know you will land with fuel below 'final reserve' you will declare a MAYDAY.
Nb. 30 minutes of fuel remaining (
for a turbine powered aircraft) is defined as 'Final Reserve' fuel.
There is no such terminology, in CAR-OPS, that includes statements such as "
fuel emergency" / "
low fuel" etc, therein it's either a "PAN" or "MAYDAY" call that must be made, i.e. depending upon how much fuel you think or know you're going to land with.