As far as I'm aware, it means you have enough fuel to make an approach and then divert to your alternate to land.
Minimum fuel - The term used to describe a situation in which an aircraft’s fuel supply has reached a state where the flight is committed to land at a specific aerodrome and no additional delay can be accepted. (PANS-ATM, DOC 4444)
Simply put we are now committing to the destination as we calculate we can land there with 30' of fuel remaining (final reserve fuel). Again, following the declaration of 'minimum fuel' we are effectively 'advising' you we have NO fuel alternate now available to us,
we are committed to land at destination.
In circumstances where an aircraft has declared minimum fuel or is experiencing an emergency or has declared minimum fuel, or in any other situation wherein the safety of the aircraft is not assured, the type of emergency and/or the circumstances experienced by the aircraft shall be reported by the transferring unit to the accepting unit and any other ATS unit that may be concerned with the flight and to the associated rescue coordination centres, if necessary. (PANS-ATM, DOC 4444)
So, does DIR inform the TWR of a 'minimum fuel' declaration so that hopefully avoiding a go-around is definitely assured?
As a pilot I fully understand and accept that no priority is given until 'minimum fuel' is raised to a higher status. It is however now an ICAO requirement that we declare it. It does infer to me however that ATC MUST advise us of ANY change to already communicated delay/track mileage. This then allows raising of the 'minimum fuel' status to a Pan or Mayday if we consider it necessary.
Cans and worms are springing to mind.....
