Fxed Reserve Use.
As long as you can taxi off the runway and park under your own steam then you are probably OK!
That said, I still work on the 45min fixed (which I regard as untouchable) + 15% variable reserves that I learnt way back! Remember when Ops would actually scrutinise your flightplan and have Flightservice call you with questions when they thought things didn't add up?
Dr
That said, I still work on the 45min fixed (which I regard as untouchable) + 15% variable reserves that I learnt way back! Remember when Ops would actually scrutinise your flightplan and have Flightservice call you with questions when they thought things didn't add up?
Dr
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I know what the rules say, but I hate arriving with anywhere near Forkair minimum fuel, I know I can get every last drop of usable fuel in my a/c however even 1 hour cruise fuel is 40-42 liters and that gets mt attention when I have 5 in one and 45 in the other 
Only happened once dodging storms and I was with over an hour reserve!
J
Only happened once dodging storms and I was with over an hour reserve!
J
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What if it's a 10 hour and 15 minute flight.
I class reserve as untouchable and is not planned for use. I consider variable as being used inflght.
If you plan to get somewhere with some fixed reserve fuel used and not stopping to refuel, then; 1) get your head read, and; 2) get life insurance and a funeral plan together.
I class reserve as untouchable and is not planned for use. I consider variable as being used inflght.
If you plan to get somewhere with some fixed reserve fuel used and not stopping to refuel, then; 1) get your head read, and; 2) get life insurance and a funeral plan together.
As has been covered above,
It cannot be planned to be used under normal circumstances, especially when enroute etc.
Adequate Variable reserves or margin fuel are meant to allow for any forseeable enroute contingencies, stronger than forecast winds, unforecast adverse weather, systems failures, eg depressurizing and forced to fly at much reduced levels etc.
Yes it can be used once you are overhead/ arrive at the present destination airport due to unforseen non normal events, eg, gear failures, blocked/obstructed runway, etc to allow you time to deal with situation if you cannot land immediately as was expected.
If the aircraft landing ahead of you has an accident and blocks the only available runway you may be forced to use that reserve to fly to a nearby airport where you can land or use it to conduct an off field landing.
I was reminded of this scenario yrs ago in the USA when a biz jet had a gear failure, skidded down the runway on its belly and came to rest right in the middle of the intersection of the 2 runways thus closing both of them and the airport.
Despite the long odds it can and does happen, which is why that 30 or 45 mins is kept in the tanks as last chance to help save your ass when the unexpected happens.
It cannot be planned to be used under normal circumstances, especially when enroute etc.
Adequate Variable reserves or margin fuel are meant to allow for any forseeable enroute contingencies, stronger than forecast winds, unforecast adverse weather, systems failures, eg depressurizing and forced to fly at much reduced levels etc.
Yes it can be used once you are overhead/ arrive at the present destination airport due to unforseen non normal events, eg, gear failures, blocked/obstructed runway, etc to allow you time to deal with situation if you cannot land immediately as was expected.
If the aircraft landing ahead of you has an accident and blocks the only available runway you may be forced to use that reserve to fly to a nearby airport where you can land or use it to conduct an off field landing.
I was reminded of this scenario yrs ago in the USA when a biz jet had a gear failure, skidded down the runway on its belly and came to rest right in the middle of the intersection of the 2 runways thus closing both of them and the airport.
Despite the long odds it can and does happen, which is why that 30 or 45 mins is kept in the tanks as last chance to help save your ass when the unexpected happens.
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I generally carry at least 30 minutes additional fuel on top of the 30 minutes fixed fuel reserve for contingencies such as gear/flap problem on approach or go-around for whatever reason.
My boss, on the other hand, thinks unforeseen circumstances such as those are what the fixed fuel reserve is for.
Fortunately for the travelling public, my boss doesn't fly very often.
My boss, on the other hand, thinks unforeseen circumstances such as those are what the fixed fuel reserve is for.
Fortunately for the travelling public, my boss doesn't fly very often.
Where the hell is commonsense in all of this.
It is clear as mud.
The fixed reserve is there to cover unforeseen situations that may require the use of the fixed reserves.
I remember having to explain to a Ops man in BN as to why the 1 minute Margin fuel I had on my FP was sufficient. It did not compute that I had 45min Fixed, 15% Variable and 60Min holding. Seeing that I was only going BN-MCY-BN, my reserves were more than my flight fuel.
He signed the FP in due course.
I did remark after he signed the FP that he had no knowledge of what fuel/endurance was actually in the fuel tanks and his signing was just an ACE.
It is clear as mud.
The fixed reserve is there to cover unforeseen situations that may require the use of the fixed reserves.
Remember when Ops would actually scrutinise your flightplan and have Flightservice call you with questions when they thought things didn't add up?
He signed the FP in due course.
I did remark after he signed the FP that he had no knowledge of what fuel/endurance was actually in the fuel tanks and his signing was just an ACE.
I like the way that this thread was seamlessly resurrected from some 5 years ago!
Folks,
Most of you just don't "get it", including CASA.
The history of the concept of "fixed final reserve" is all about the history of aircraft running out, or almost running out of fuel, when gauges and/or howgoesit all indicated sufficient fuel.
Can you use "it" --- and all the legalisms are nonsense, because you do not know, FOR CERTAIN, if you even have it to use ---- regardless of the situation.
If you are in a situation where you will land with less than 30m, indicated or calculated, it is an emergency, you are as dumb as a box of hammers if you think you can do otherwise --- not all that uncommon in the aviation field. This is quite independent of any other non-normal situation that might be attracting your attention.
All measuring systems are subject to error, or more correctly, order of accuracy. Light aircraft fuel contents gauges are notoriously inaccurate and unreliable, flowmeter systems not much better, until you get into heavy iron, and there it is still around +/- 3% order of accuracy.
You always start out NOT knowing EXACTLY how much ENERGY you have, you only ever have an approximation of how much you have consumed, and therefor, you only have an approximation of what you have left, and only an approximation of how fast you are burning said remaining.
Look up the history of the near misses, the very near misses, and the losses, and ask yourself (sorry Dirty Harry) do I feel lucky today , because you will need luck on your side, not an acceptable way of flight management --- or perhaps, is it not your pax. lucky day.
Forget whether it is "required under CASR XXX but not CASR YYY", it is needed so you engines will ALWAYS have motion lotion at touchdown.
Tootle pip!!
Most of you just don't "get it", including CASA.
The history of the concept of "fixed final reserve" is all about the history of aircraft running out, or almost running out of fuel, when gauges and/or howgoesit all indicated sufficient fuel.
Can you use "it" --- and all the legalisms are nonsense, because you do not know, FOR CERTAIN, if you even have it to use ---- regardless of the situation.
If you are in a situation where you will land with less than 30m, indicated or calculated, it is an emergency, you are as dumb as a box of hammers if you think you can do otherwise --- not all that uncommon in the aviation field. This is quite independent of any other non-normal situation that might be attracting your attention.
All measuring systems are subject to error, or more correctly, order of accuracy. Light aircraft fuel contents gauges are notoriously inaccurate and unreliable, flowmeter systems not much better, until you get into heavy iron, and there it is still around +/- 3% order of accuracy.
You always start out NOT knowing EXACTLY how much ENERGY you have, you only ever have an approximation of how much you have consumed, and therefor, you only have an approximation of what you have left, and only an approximation of how fast you are burning said remaining.
The whole idea of FIXED FINAL RESERVE is so that, on the day when all the +/-'s stack up against you, your engines are still running at touchdown.
Forget whether it is "required under CASR XXX but not CASR YYY", it is needed so you engines will ALWAYS have motion lotion at touchdown.
The engineering physics don't vary with the flight category, it all goes 'orribly quiet when you run out.
it all goes 'orribly quiet when you run out
When I run a tank dry in my bugsmasher, the engine stays noisy. The prop still runs at whatever RPM it was set before the motion lotion ran out.
All measuring systems are subject to error, or more correctly, order of accuracy. Light aircraft fuel contents gauges are notoriously inaccurate and unreliable, flowmeter systems not much better, until you get into heavy iron, and there it is still around +/- 3% order of accuracy.
The digital flowmeter in my bugsmasher is calibrated to +/- 1 litre in 300. Either that, or all the fuel bowser flowmeters at all the aerodromes around Australia are as precisely inaccurate as the one in my bugsmasher.
1. Under the new regulations (part 91?), it is an offence to land with less than the fixed fuel reserve on board.
2. Given that deliberate use of fixed reserves is an offence, if you reach the point at which fixed reserves are likely being consumed you must declare an emergency and report yourself to CASA. It is an offence NOT to declare an emergency if you are low on fuel.
2. Thanks to this new regulation CASA now has the power to inspect your aircraft after flight to determine if you have consumed some of your fixed reserve. If you have, you had better have declared an emergency beforehand. This is another reason never to fly in to an aviation event where there is potential to be raped, sorry "ramped".
What this means in practice is that now, in addition to carrying fixed reserve, you now require a "CASA litigation Reserve". This further drives down payload and increases costs.
2. Given that deliberate use of fixed reserves is an offence, if you reach the point at which fixed reserves are likely being consumed you must declare an emergency and report yourself to CASA. It is an offence NOT to declare an emergency if you are low on fuel.
2. Thanks to this new regulation CASA now has the power to inspect your aircraft after flight to determine if you have consumed some of your fixed reserve. If you have, you had better have declared an emergency beforehand. This is another reason never to fly in to an aviation event where there is potential to be raped, sorry "ramped".
What this means in practice is that now, in addition to carrying fixed reserve, you now require a "CASA litigation Reserve". This further drives down payload and increases costs.
What a load of rubbish. If your personal fuel policy prior to the new regulations meant there was a foreseeable chance of landing with less than fixed reserve then you are a fool and deserve any litigation coming your way.
Aerocat, you make a fundamental reading error by assuming I am talking about my personal fuel policy (which is full tanks and a massive reserve every time).
However what I am talking about is real world planning, try Four reasonably sized people in a Warrior for a bit more than an hours flight, where there is not a lot of weight left over for reserve fuel. So then there is a taxiing or some other delay, maybe some unforecast headwind and you just might find yourself down to fixed reserves as you come into land. Unless of course you wish to exceed MTOW, which I won't.
Add in an officious CASA prick on arrival, and a not very well calibrated dipstick, inaccurate gauges, an error in the fuel log (club aircraft), fuel theft and a missing bowser receipt, bear in mind that even one litre less than required will see you in trouble and we have a recipe for hours of distress followed by months of anguish if they decide to prosecute…or not.
However what I am talking about is real world planning, try Four reasonably sized people in a Warrior for a bit more than an hours flight, where there is not a lot of weight left over for reserve fuel. So then there is a taxiing or some other delay, maybe some unforecast headwind and you just might find yourself down to fixed reserves as you come into land. Unless of course you wish to exceed MTOW, which I won't.
Add in an officious CASA prick on arrival, and a not very well calibrated dipstick, inaccurate gauges, an error in the fuel log (club aircraft), fuel theft and a missing bowser receipt, bear in mind that even one litre less than required will see you in trouble and we have a recipe for hours of distress followed by months of anguish if they decide to prosecute…or not.
Last edited by Sunfish; 26th Jan 2016 at 01:16.
However what I am talking about is real world planning, try Four reasonably sized people in a Warrior for a bit more than an hours flight, where there is not a lot of weight left over for reserve fuel. So then there is a taxiing or some other delay, maybe some unforecast headwind and you just might find yourself down to fixed reserves as you come into land. Unless of course you wish to exceed MTOW, which I won't.
Add in an officious CASA prick on arrival, and a not very well calibrated dipstick, inaccurate gauges, an error in the fuel log (club aircraft), fuel theft and a missing bowser receipt, bear in mind that even one litre less than required will see you in trouble and we have a recipe for hours of distress followed by months of anguish if they decide to prosecute…or not.
Add in an officious CASA prick on arrival, and a not very well calibrated dipstick, inaccurate gauges, an error in the fuel log (club aircraft), fuel theft and a missing bowser receipt, bear in mind that even one litre less than required will see you in trouble and we have a recipe for hours of distress followed by months of anguish if they decide to prosecute…or not.
My point remains that if you (general you) have changed your personal fuel policy because of a fear of litigation then your previous fuel policy sucked.