My 2ds worth
Ladies and gentlemen,
May I ask All in this forum for quiet and patient thoughts and consider the fate of those who escaped death, welcome them back to the land of their loved ones, and say "There but for fortune/lady luck/proper planning/the grace of God/go I". Well done, 'coz you're still here! May the beer be cold and frothy!
I would like to postulate the following:
1. Far too many aircraft are today being flown with far too insufficient fuel, and this is not company specific. Companies are making roadshows out of pilots' fuel carrying, but the CARs clearly say that the PIC is responsible for carrying sufficient.
2. What are the F/O's saying at the time? All F/Os are "Captains in waiting", and do they think that the Capt will bail them out unreservedly? I remember once going into PH and the F/O refusing the landing because it was over his OM1 limits. I am NOT going to fly every sector for anyone, and if 20 kt is so taxing for an ex-Dash-8 captain, then you shouldn't be occupying that seat. He landed it fine, and a pox to the half-wits that wrote OM1!
3. Pilots do not pay for the fuel. If I was paxing on your flight, paying,say, $16.00 fuel levy on my ticket, well guess what? I'd rather pay $16.30 and have you carry enough fuel than follow your sorry ass through your windscreen! Dig?
Accidents happen when the crew are out of options. NEVER let fuel be one of the links in the chain. When a bean-counter can show you his ATPL, Class 1 medical, Command IFR rating AND tell you an interesting story, THEN consider their opinions. In the meantime - you are the captain, you are the crew. The pax rely upon and trust you.
Don't let them down, I might be one of them one day - worse still, you might be one of mine.
Cheers,
Ned