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EASA ATPL 033 Flight Planning study materials
EASA ATPL 033 Flight Planning study resources

EASA ATPL 033 Flight Planning: Fuel planning: fuel policy and in-flight fuel monitoring

EASA ATPL 033 Flight Planning · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

All guide sections

Fuel planning: fuel policy and in-flight fuel monitoring

Domain 2 covers fuel policy: the components of minimum required fuel, the conditions allowing reduced contingency, and the in-flight fuel declarations.

The fuel components

  • Taxi fuel: APU, engine start and taxi-out, based on the aerodrome layout.
  • Trip fuel: take-off, climb, cruise, descent and approach to the destination.
  • Contingency fuel: normally 5% of trip fuel; 3% where adequate route and alternate forecasts plus ATC availability mean no re-routing or level change is expected; alternatively 20 minutes of cruise fuel or an approved statistical figure.
  • Alternate fuel: destination to destination alternate, including approach and missed approach.
  • Final reserve fuel: 30 minutes holding at 1,500 ft above the aerodrome in ISA for turbine aeroplanes; 45 minutes for piston engines.
  • Additional fuel for engine failure, pressurisation loss or ETOPS, plus extra/discretionary fuel.
  • Minimum block fuel = taxi + trip + contingency + alternate + final reserve + additional.

In flight

  • Fuel checks at each waypoint compare fuel on board with the plan; a repeated deficit forces a decision: lower level, reduced speed, re-route or diversion.
  • MINIMUM FUEL: committed to land at a specific aerodrome and any further delay would leave less than final reserve.
  • MAYDAY FUEL: calculated to land with less than final reserve.

Worked example

Trip fuel 2,400 kg, taxi 150 kg, alternate 400 kg, contingency 5% = 120 kg, final reserve 30 min at 1,200 kg/h = 600 kg, no additional fuel. Minimum block fuel = 150 + 2,400 + 120 + 400 + 600 = 3,670 kg. Later, with the destination 700 kg away in fuel terms, the crew must be able to cover remaining trip 700 + alternate 400 + final reserve 600 = 1,700 kg. Fuel on board is 1,650 kg, so landing would be 50 kg below final reserve; they declare MINIMUM FUEL and plan to land at the nearest suitable aerodrome.

Traps

  • Taking 5% of block fuel instead of 5% of trip fuel.
  • Computing final reserve at cruise level and cruise fuel flow instead of 1,500 ft holding.
  • Forgetting that alternate fuel includes the missed approach.
  • Reducing contingency to 3% without the required forecasts and ATC conditions.