Too close for comfort - easyJet lands with 18m fuel
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Up north
Posts: 1,657
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
CP
Getting extra fuel right all the time is like expecting to play the stock market and always buy at the troughs and sell at the peaks, it doesn’t happen in real life.
Amazingly, the time and fuel used in avoiding weather is never questioned, I’ve gone over 100 miles off track before and never had it brought up by management. Not injuring and traumatising the pax and not over stressing the airframe is something they don’t seem to mind.
Amazingly, the time and fuel used in avoiding weather is never questioned, I’ve gone over 100 miles off track before and never had it brought up by management. Not injuring and traumatising the pax and not over stressing the airframe is something they don’t seem to mind.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Up north
Posts: 1,657
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The point is, as already mentioned by several ppl here, take fuel when weather / situation call for it, not to try to avoid any and all diversions on a standard day. That’s not only financially sound but also safe.
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have experienced three occasions when the airport has been closed on a CAVOK day with light winds. On two occasions the aeroplane behind us had an incident closing the airfield and causing everyone else to divert. (Both were A320s, one went off the side of the runway to avoid an overrun, the other landed with the brakes on...! That should identify the airport!) and myself had to hold and very nearly divert when a light aircraft had gone off the runway, closing the airport. So don't think that diverts are 'only' weather related! And, as albatross has correctly said, you won't be the only one diverting so it might be worth considering where you divert to if there are other options. Also, I once had a weather divert (with plenty of fuel!) where our company asked us not to divert to our first diversion as the local team's 'away' football match meant that there were no busses for the pax.
Diverts can become very complex and what is a "standard day"!!
If everyone departed with maximum fuel consistent with landing weight limits there would be very few diversions or Mayday fuels. However the excess fuel used would be horrendous and seriously affect profitability.
If everyone departed with the minimum fuel legally required there would be many more diversions and Mayday fuels. The resulting disruptions would also seriously affect profitability, not to mention the safety issues.
The answer lies somewhere in the middle, I’m convinced we’re too near the second option at the moment.
If everyone departed with the minimum fuel legally required there would be many more diversions and Mayday fuels. The resulting disruptions would also seriously affect profitability, not to mention the safety issues.
The answer lies somewhere in the middle, I’m convinced we’re too near the second option at the moment.
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: NAT-HLA
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If everyone departed with maximum fuel consistent with landing weight limits there would be very few diversions or Mayday fuels. However the excess fuel used would be horrendous and seriously affect profitability.
If everyone departed with the minimum fuel legally required there would be many more diversions and Mayday fuels. The resulting disruptions would also seriously affect profitability, not to mention the safety issues.
The answer lies somewhere in the middle, I’m convinced we’re too near the second option at the moment.
If everyone departed with the minimum fuel legally required there would be many more diversions and Mayday fuels. The resulting disruptions would also seriously affect profitability, not to mention the safety issues.
The answer lies somewhere in the middle, I’m convinced we’re too near the second option at the moment.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Up north
Posts: 1,657
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What is a "standard day"?
I have experienced three occasions when the airport has been closed on a CAVOK day with light winds. On two occasions the aeroplane behind us had an incident closing the airfield and causing everyone else to divert. (Both were A320s, one went off the side of the runway to avoid an overrun, the other landed with the brakes on...! That should identify the airport!) and myself had to hold and very nearly divert when a light aircraft had gone off the runway, closing the airport. So don't think that diverts are 'only' weather related! And, as albatross has correctly said, you won't be the only one diverting so it might be worth considering where you divert to if there are other options. Also, I once had a weather divert (with plenty of fuel!) where our company asked us not to divert to our first diversion as the local team's 'away' football match meant that there were no busses for the pax.
Diverts can become very complex and what is a "standard day"!!
I have experienced three occasions when the airport has been closed on a CAVOK day with light winds. On two occasions the aeroplane behind us had an incident closing the airfield and causing everyone else to divert. (Both were A320s, one went off the side of the runway to avoid an overrun, the other landed with the brakes on...! That should identify the airport!) and myself had to hold and very nearly divert when a light aircraft had gone off the runway, closing the airport. So don't think that diverts are 'only' weather related! And, as albatross has correctly said, you won't be the only one diverting so it might be worth considering where you divert to if there are other options. Also, I once had a weather divert (with plenty of fuel!) where our company asked us not to divert to our first diversion as the local team's 'away' football match meant that there were no busses for the pax.
Diverts can become very complex and what is a "standard day"!!
So of course there are “standard days”, of course it’s not all weather related but we plan with the information we have, use our experience with airport X Y and Z to make decisions that are reasonable, professional, safe and financially sound. That’s our job.
You’re talking about events you would perhaps bring up with someone just reaching command, or perhaps new in to commercial aviation, to make them aware that things can happen. Keep your mind open, try to plan ahead when things are developing into something that’s no longer a “standard day”. If you get info that airport is closed, or runway blocked, take an early decision to divert, be proactive.
CP
Paying crew extra for taking less fuel is a sure fire way to encourage poor fuel planning decisions, and the results of such a policy would be an increase in low fuel incidents, and accidents.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Netherlands
Age: 46
Posts: 343
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If everyone departed with maximum fuel consistent with landing weight limits there would be very few diversions or Mayday fuels. However the excess fuel used would be horrendous and seriously affect profitability.
If everyone departed with the minimum fuel legally required there would be many more diversions and Mayday fuels. The resulting disruptions would also seriously affect profitability, not to mention the safety issues.
The answer lies somewhere in the middle, I’m convinced we’re too near the second option at the moment.
If everyone departed with the minimum fuel legally required there would be many more diversions and Mayday fuels. The resulting disruptions would also seriously affect profitability, not to mention the safety issues.
The answer lies somewhere in the middle, I’m convinced we’re too near the second option at the moment.
Exceptional circumstances is exactly why there is a final reserve, but it needs to be investigated when it is used.
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: NAT-HLA
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
