Calculation of Alternate Fuel

[speedy13]

Hi. I have a doubt regarding the calculation of alternate fuel. Alternate fuel is the sum of the following fuels:-
a) Missed Approach
b) Climb
c) Cruise
d) TOD to Pt where the Approach is commenced
e) Approach and Landing

Q1 - The missed approach is not clearly defined in many regulatory manuals. EASA defines it as the fuel for the entire missed approach procedure. In case it is not defined, what would be a standard calculation?

Q2 - The Approach and Landing Fuel - again does this mean the fuel required for the expected Instrument Approach Procedure or would it just be a discretionary value?

Would appreciate some answers to the above questions.

[B737900er]

You are correction what you have said.

You must have fuel to commence the stated go around procedure for the expected runway followed by a climb enroute and descent portion followed by the STAR and approach procedure for the expected runway.

You will also need enough fuel to land with 30 minutes holding fuel or 45mins if you FAA.

[FlyingStone]

EASA AMC regarding fuel policy actually doesn't require you to plan for the route, STAR, etc. It does say "expected routing" and "expected arrival procedure".

You could try to prove to your CAA inspector that in case of going to the alternate, ATC would provide you with a direct routing from the end of missed approach procedure to FAF of your alternate airport.

PS: I'm not a fan of taking absolute minimum fuel to the kg.

[B737900er]

A lot of Ops manuals ask for worst case scenario which is what is described above. As the PIC it is your decision how much fuel you would like to take.

[speedy13]

Thanks. Took the MDF provided for granted earlier, but have now realised after doing a detailed analysis of a lot of OFPs that we are being given fuel for just VOR to VOR direct with just a couple of miles thrown in for the missed approach and a smidgen for the approach and landing. How do I take it up, since taking extra fuel is infra dig?

[Johnny F@rt Pants]

Speedy -

First question is - did you make it to your alternate above final reserve?

If so, then question 2 is - by how much?

Dependent on the answers will depend on how you can proceed.

In my opinion, you could file a report to your management pointing this out, perhaps they aren't actually aware?? If you got perilously close to final reserve then I assume you made an appropriate call to ATC and having done that you must have raised as ASR. That alone might give them food for thought.

My final answer is that if you suspect that your OFP does not reflect the fuel that you will need it is YOUR responsibility to add more to satisfy yourself that you do have enough. So just load the fuel necessary, you cannot and should not expect ATC to give you direct to FAF at your diversion after going around, you will have to fit in with the traffic flow to your diversion.

It seems your company are expecting that you will just have to make some sort of fuel emergency call be it a Pan or Mayday and screw the rest of the inbound traffic to that particular airfield.

[FlightDetent]

Some providers do calculate reasonable fuel between DEST and ALTN, however - for whatever reason - the printed routing on the paper is greatly simplified. Only way to find out is to analyse an in-service event.

It might not be too bad after all. Most of the providers allow for different customer configurations, it is hard to compare.

My biggest scare is a lenghty GA track you cannot get away from, with speed restrictions preventing you to go clean. THAT is never accounted for and the difference is MASSIVE.

FD.