Originally Posted by Framer
Good question. Would 2T be enough to plan on arriving in MEL ? Lets say they did just that. Then they didn't get their optimum altitude for the divert, now we're down to 1.8 T. Then there was an extra 30kts of headwind ( happens all the time) now we're down to 1.7T. Then they got one lap of the hold for sequencing as there is fog in CBR and ADL and MIA so a few others have the same idea, now we're down to 1.5T and nothing out of the ordinary has happened. Then ATC lines up an A330 who takes a bit longer than expected and the ensuing go around nails another .8T leaving them with 0.7T on a crappy day in MEL. So planning on 2T overhead MEL with that weather is questionable, so how much should they plan on having overhead MEL? 3T?
Don't get carried away! If they don't get in to ADL because of fog and they don't have "proper" alternate fuel for MEL (it wasn't ever required), they declare "Minimum Fuel" and 90% of that stuff you mentioned gets chucked out the window. With the benefit of hindsight
I'd plan to get to MEL with 1500kg for a Cat III and "I don't care what the weather is".
Not having the AWIS at MIA denied the crews from knowing the humidity.
Originally Posted by BPA
What I see needs to be done is;
1. Rather than spend their money on building car parks and shopping centers, Airports should forced to upgrade all ILS's to at least CAT2 ASAP and work torwards CAT 3.
2. CASA to regulate Flight Dispatcher training like they do with load controllers. In the USA flight dispatchers are includedd in the FAR's and are licensed and trained to FAA standards.
3. Complete review of the BOM and the impact on years of funding cutbacks have had. The quality of the forecasts has declined and it's not just the lack of fog forecasting, during the summer months lack of thunderstorms is also and issue.
4. CASA to revise RPT jet fuel policies to require an ILS alternate if possible until such times as BOM gets it's act together;
5. Conduct an education campaign for pilots about fog. 5kts NE at ADL in winter is merely mixing wind, nothing else (as proved on the day).
Re 2: Not sure how a flight despatcher would have made a difference in this case. He/she probably would have shot for the same fuel. If you meant ground-based company operational control in flight, then OK.
As for Jabba, I am invited to ask pretty demanding questions of a surgeon before the chop, why shouldn't pilots be open to the same thing (within reason, of course)?