BA Holding/Fuel policy

[Mister Geezer]

Hello all...

I was wondering if any BA pilots could clear up a thought blip that I was having recently concerning your policy for fuel/holding/diversions.

I do not work for BA, I am purely enquiring about how it works within BA!!! I am applying to BA at the moment for their Trainee scheme, however this question is just out of curiosity and I am not trying to learn BA fuel policy!!!

Lets take a situation where you calculate that you plan to arrive at LHR with 3500KGS in tanks and the 'TOT RES' figure on the SWORD is 2600KGS. The weather is not ideal at LHR so holding at Bovingdon can be expected. You arrive at Bovingdon with 3600KGS and take up the hold. OK Total Reserve is 2600KGS. I know that for safety a lot of guys and girls might stick an extra 200KGS on top so say that the Total Reserve is now 2800KGS. You eventually land with 2500KGS which is below Reserve Fuel.

• When would you consider diverting in terms of fuel on board?

• When would you actually divert to STN, LGW etc etc from the hold.

• If you were at a lower level on a go-around etc etc would you elect to divert at the same point in terms of fuel as you would if you were in the hold, at a higher level?

• If you were given a EAT or an Estimated Time for leaving the hold, are you then allowed to bite into Reserve Fuel????

Just a few questions I had for you.

I would be grateful if any BA pilots could answer the question!

Regards

MG

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It is illegal to drive without windshield wipers. You don't need a windshield, but you must have the wipers. Texas State Law

[This message has been edited by Mister Geezer (edited 28 December 2000).]

[The Grazzler]

Applying for the Trainee scheme? The questions you ask show sufficient knowledge to prove that your keenness and preparation are of the required standard. You will not get answers to this question for any Company chaps would only be risking embarrassment due to lack of understanding! Are you sure that you are not already in the Company? Either way, if you find your question interesting then Management may well be your best option.
My answer; you should have put more fuel on.
If diversion required; STN has a few good curry establishments in town for a good price (hence, it is known as the Commercial alternate!)

[Captain Airclues]

Mister Geezer

BA fuel policy conforms to JAR-OPS, and therefore I am not giving away any company secrets. (JAR-OPS 1.375(b), App 1 to 1.375(a)(ii)&(iii), App 1 to 1.045A O 8.3.7).
An aircraft at a holding beacon must divert when the fuel reaches Reserve plus Diversion fuel. However it can continue to hold without an alternate being available so long as an EAT or maximum delay is known, a minimum of Reserve fuel will be on board on landing, and the landing could be completed in the event of any forecast deterioration in the weather and plausible single failures of ground and airborne facilities. Although these are the legal requirements, the crew would also take into accont the number of runways available at the destination and alternate. If at any stage a situation developed where the aircraft was going to land with less than Reserve fuel, then a Mayday would be declared.
The Diversion fuel is calculated for a go-around from DH, so a diversion from the hold would generally use less fuel. The figures for a diversion from altitude are often shown on the Sword plan.
Hope this helps.

Airclues

[Mister Geezer]

Thanks very much for your replies!

Happy New Year

MG

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It is illegal to drive without windshield wipers. You don't need a windshield, but you must have the wipers. Texas State Law

[Mister Geezer]

Just one query...

"An aircraft at a holding beacon must divert when the fuel reaches Reserve plus Diversion fuel."

So an aircraft can hold until the fuel on board is equal to the 'TOT RES' (Diversion Fuel plus Reserve 30mins Fuel) figure on the SWORD.

And the MAYDAY call is made when there is 30 mins of fuel or less or do you refer to the MAYDAY being made when the fuel reaches the 'TOT RES' figure.

I think I have got mixed up between Reserve Fuel and Total Reserve (TOT RES)!!!! :rolleyes:

Regards

MG

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It is illegal to drive without windshield wipers. You don't need a windshield, but you must have the wipers. Texas State Law

[This message has been edited by Mister Geezer (edited 31 December 2000).]

[The Grazzler]

Mister Geezer. Damn! I was just going to follow up with the detailed answer to your question but good old Captain Airclues pipped me at the post!If you have any more questions re. policy about Company topics from applications to the Sponsorship Trainee scheme to aircraft specifics then post them and I'm sure that an answer will appear! Good luck with the application and remember that, assuming that you have prepared well and done your homework, you are being assessed on what YOU have to offer so just be yourself during the selection process and relax! It is more of a black art than it is a surgical process!
Good fortune for the New Year!
P.S Capt. Airclues- quotting Jar Ops eh! Very impressive!

[The Grazzler]

OK. Here goes. I'll assume that you have either seen a SWORD plan and/or have one at hand.PLAN REM= Reserves + Nominated Diversion + Contingency. Contingency is assumed to have been burnt with respect to burn calculations for the diversion, despite that fact that all of it MAY remain upon reaching the hold.This would therefore provide additional holding capablity to that at the planning stage.
Assuming therefore that Contingency has been burnt en-route, one will arrive at the hold with TOT RES. This is Diversion ( GO- around at destination fron the DA/DH to Touchdown at nominated alternate using the aircraft weight as described above) plus Reserve ( 30 minutes of holding at 1500ft clean at an AVERAGE weight).
Therefore if one expects, during fuel planning en-route or at the hold that the aircraft MAY land with less than RES, a PAN call should be made. If there is no doubt that a landing with less than RES will occur then it is Mandated (under a Jar OPs rule somewhere!) that the aircraft Commander must declare a MAYDAY.
Ouch! You asked for it! It is an answer, BUT not perhaps the best one that could have been provided. When Captain Airclues comes along again he can give me a mark out of 10 and perhaps add some JAA quotes! Whatever you do tonight; DO NOT spend it pondering the joys off FUEL POLICY!!
Grazzler

[Captain Airclues]

The Grazzler

10/10

Airclues

P.S. The reference that you requested for the Mayday call is JAR-OPS 1.375(c)

[Mister Geezer]

Superb - Thank you all!

Once again the question was just sheer curiosity and I am fully aware that for the Trainee program questions of this nature will not be asked!

I do have a few used SWORD plans at home which have been very kindly passed onto me (I would not even dare ask for such a thing!) after I have been fortunate enough to sit on the jumpseat on a number of flights recently.

I was rather bored a few nights ago and dug out a SWORD and a piece of Scrap paper and a Calculator and after some time started to arrive with questions that I had no answer for, hence the thread was created! The figures quoted in the example at the top were real from a flight a few months ago.

Regards

MG

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It is illegal to drive without windshield wipers. You don't need a windshield, but you must have the wipers. Texas State Law