|
jas24zzk has it in one. I am not advocating planning to use the 45 minute fixed reserve, I am just not sure that calculating that you will nudge into it and not instantly diverting is worthy of a $9000 fine.
Another one is that there is a blanket requirement to declare a mayday if you will land without the fixed reserve intact. If you don't then again another $9000. 6(4)The pilot in command must declare a situation of emergency fuel when the calculated usable fuel predicted to be available upon landing at the nearest aerodrome where a safe landing can be made is less than the fixed fuel reserve for the flight. The other one is that previously the CAAP was advisory. The instrument is now regulatory and the way it is written it refers only to aerodromes for arrival, departure and destination. Too bad if you want to land at an ALA. |
The draft CAAP clearly refers to fuel remaining at the destination aerodrome and the accompanying proposed change to the Regulation will make it an offence to ARRIVE without that reserve on board. As someone who knows more than I said, "they want to have something absolute to measure, Kaz."
"FIXED FUEL RESERVE – the amount of fuel, expressed as a period of time, required to fly at holding speed at 1,500 feet above aerodrome elevation at ISA conditions, calculated with the estimated weight on arrival at the destination alternate aerodrome, or the destination aerodrome when no destination alternate aerodrome is required, that would be useable fuel remaining in the fuel tanks until completion of the final landing." The current Regulation CAR 234 just as clearly refers to the fuel uplift at TAKEOFF. " (1) The pilot in command of an aircraft must not commence a flight within Australian territory, or to or from Australian territory, if he or she has not taken reasonable steps to ensure that the aircraft carries sufficient fuel and oil to enable the proposed flight to be undertaken in safety." Be aware also, that there are more calculations required both pre-flight and in-flight, and a Fuel Mayday must be called if the total remaining fuel falls below the mandatory minimum fixed reserve. Call it and you get pinged, of course! That will undoubtedly encourage transparency and full compliance. Finally, you have to use aircraft specific fuel consumption data taken from the AFM, or the engine manufacturer if not available. Only where no specific fuel consumption data exists for the precise conditions of the flight, may the aircraft be operated in accordance with estimated fuel consumption data. Kaz |
Alidad, Your name suggests that you may have spent some time looking into a Mirage Cyrano radar indicator? In Air to Ground mode. :)
Capn Bloggs, Any troop who was ever lucky enough to get a supersonic flight in the back seat of a Mirage dual, was always happy to offer a tow for any pilot who may have run out of fuel taxying in.. :ok: Sorry. Back to topic now.:O |
It all looks like pretty straight forward to me!
It is an offence to plan a flight such that the mandated fixed reserve will not remain intact. It is an offence to not divert (while the opportunity still exists to do so) when the PIC becomes aware that continuing to the original destination will mean landing with the reserve not intact. It is NOT an offence having satisfied the requirements above, and at a point beyond the latest point to make a safe diversion, that unforseen circumstances cause the flight to be completed with less than the required reserve. Examples of Unforeseen circumstances; Winds stronger than forecast (should have planned some variable reserve!) Unforeseen traffic or weather holding at the destination (effective after the latest safe point to divert) Aircraft system issue that delays the landing at the destination (eg landing gear problem) Any other issue that delays the landing beyond the PIC's control! |
I get it now. Someone who makes a deliberate decision to continue to the original destination and land with reserve minus 1 litre intact without declaring an emergency, rather than take an available diversion option, is a criminal. I think the penalty should be increased to a substantial gaol term, to ensure such recklessly criminal activity never happens.
I look forward to some a*seclown trying to prove it did it, given that I can choose to plan and actually cruise at fuel flows spanning a range of about 20 litres per hour, and I have 22 litres of unusable fuel that I frequently use. |
What this means is that it is now possible for CASA to ramp check fuel quantities and furthermore pilots are required to incriminate themselves.
So landing minus a litre of fixed reserve can result in a criminal conviction that will disbar you from entering the USA and probably other places as well. The net result I predict will be an increase in fuel exhaustion events if this regulation is enacted in its current form. My reason is that I am quite sure that some fringe dwellers in the aviation community will simply make up new dipsticks with a "litigation calibration offset" of say, 20 litres. They then become the only bloke who knows what the real fuel state is, but the "dip" figure will always satisfy a nosey FOI. This works well until some poor bastard buys or borrows the aircraft. |
So landing minus a litre of fixed reserve can result in a criminal conviction that will disbar you from entering the USA and probably other places as well. |
We all probably are going to need to increase the accuracy of our dipsticks. I struggle to get an accurate reading to 5L let alone 1! ANOTHER "Back to the future" step. |
The draft CAAP clearly refers to fuel remaining at the destination aerodrome and the accompanying proposed change to the Regulation will make it an offence to ARRIVE without that reserve on board. As someone who knows more than I said, "they want to have something absolute to measure, Kaz." "FIXED FUEL RESERVE – the amount of fuel, expressed as a period of time, required to fly at holding speed at 1,500 feet above aerodrome elevation at ISA conditions, calculated with the estimated weight on arrival at the destination alternate aerodrome, or the destination aerodrome when no destination alternate aerodrome is required, that would be useable fuel remaining in the fuel tanks until completion of the final landing." The current Regulation CAR 234 just as clearly refers to the fuel uplift at TAKEOFF. " (1) The pilot in command of an aircraft must not commence a flight within Australian territory, or to or from Australian territory, if he or she has not taken reasonable steps to ensure that the aircraft carries sufficient fuel and oil to enable the proposed flight to be undertaken in safety." Be aware also, that there are more calculations required both pre-flight and in-flight, and a Fuel Mayday must be called if the total remaining fuel falls below the mandatory minimum fixed reserve. Call it and you get pinged, of course! That will undoubtedly encourage transparency and full compliance. Finally, you have to use aircraft specific fuel consumption data taken from the AFM, or the engine manufacturer if not available. Only where no specific fuel consumption data exists for the precise conditions of the flight, may the aircraft be operated in accordance with estimated fuel consumption data. Kaz I can see a whole new bunch of students for an APS class. We can teach a segment on how to make your 30 minutes of fuel go 45 minutes. Out of jail :} We all probably are going to need to increase the accuracy of our dipsticks. I struggle to get an accurate reading to 5L let alone 1! |
I am with AKRO………is anyone going to seriously do anything different? Are CASA changing anything for safety sake?Or is it to cover up for their failings and that of an operator who created a small reef in the pacific? :=
|
I'm with Jabawocky.
Recently installed a JPI EMS system. When we did an actual fuel check ie drain the tanks the reading was within 5 litres after 150 hours of use with 24,000 litres going thru the tanks. Beside which what idiot wants to fly round with minimum fuel nudging the 45 minute reserve. ( comment excludes those flying ex military types which have very different capacities) |
Hey….I am happy arriving near my 45 minutes…….when I am certain of what is going on. Most of the time however I have 15% and INTER/TEMPO or more….just because it is there.
I wrote an article recently for a couple of magazines and an aeroclub. All about fuel management. Not the CAO's/CARs/CASRs/Part XXX……about doing rather than what what the law requires. It is not hard. But what is hard is keeping up with regulatory change that makes no sense. We are all suffering change fatigue and becoming non compliant as a result. Look at the CTAF debacle. So is all this change really about achieving a safer outcome? :uhoh: :hmm: |
I think your 'new reef' comment may be the 'real cause' of all of this crap...
'Closing the stable door after ........' And, as an aside, I don't recall this 'manic' behaviour on the part of the regulator following the fuel related crash of a Citation approaching Kal on a RPT(?) flight from AD to Kal, around the mid 80's? Cheers :ok: |
It was not RPT. It was a BHP or North BHP aircraft full of company executives. That's all I can remember - can anyone find the ATSB report? I remember that it was very interesting as to why there was insufficient fuel.
|
Folks,
In the original consultation, the fixed final reserve was 30 minutes at "normal fuel flow", it was pointed out that there was no such thing as "normal fuel flow". Hence the long time convention of using "holding fuel flow", which can be defined, but the ICAO 30 minutes has been increased to 45 for piston engine aircraft. The question is why? What was wrong with complying with ICAO, why is a piston engine a reason for greater reserves?? "In the day" the "45 minutes plus 15%" was all legally usable fuel, the minimum fuel on landing was nil, not a good idea. I hope by now that we all understand the rational of "fixed final reserve", but there is not even an attempt to justify 45 minutes. Tootle pip!! |
Re Citation near Kalgoorlie- Investigation: 198304358 - Cessna 501, VH-BNK, 10 Km NE of Kalgoorlie WA, 5 December 1983
I was in Broken Hill Flight Service at time of incident - there were numerous phone calls from interested parties within 10 mins of the incident - bush telegraph working really well - certainly no mobile phones. I seem to remember BNK belonged to North Broken Hill - had the Managing Director on board and as I heard it due to the safe landing, despite only breaking out of cloud at low level, the pilot kept his job. I believe the only penalty for the pilot from Flight Standards (forerunner of CASA) was to redo 1 (or more?) senior commercial subjects. |
i can see it now, 15 mins out of Bankstown, last fuel check calculation, oh SH**, im going to land using 2 ltrs into my reserve! MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY! no, im not in imminent danger tower, just going to land with 43 mins reserve, thats all, yes, i know i called mayday, im 15 mins out.. CASA greet you on the ground, fuel measurement taken, oh, look, i stuffed up a calculation, i actually have 48 mins of fuel left, sorry about that..
or, as someone else quoted from another forum, "Extra 300 XYZ taxying for airdisplay overhead, mayday mayday mayday fuel, lining up runway 23" Thinking about it a bit more, maybe some form of industrial action in the form of work to rule, such as my example, maybe this kind of thing needs to happen regularly to make casa realise the error of their ways.. |
How many points can I build up before they shoot me
|
Griffo :ok:
Leady, do you think it could be that pistons of old had very wild fuel flow management before a bunch of witch doctors and snake oil salesmen came along an educated folk on the use of an EMS? :O I think of the crash out need Thargo a few years ago. That plane should have made YBCV and missed by a long shot. OK that was an extreme but 45 min due to less precise control and also more effect from head winds etc. That might explain it perhaps? What do you reckon, having been around a long while :ooh: |
Excess fuel didn't weigh anything when I was flying in PNG 🇵🇬🇵🇬🇵🇬🇵🇬
|
| All times are GMT. The time now is 03:27. |
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.