Fuel Planning and Load Control
What the exam tests
This domain combines fuel policy with weight and balance. You must calculate usable fuel, verify regulatory reserves, and ensure that zero-fuel weight, takeoff weight, landing weight, and centre of gravity remain within limits.
Fuel structure
A typical turbine fuel plan includes taxi fuel, trip fuel, contingency fuel, alternate fuel, final reserve, additional fuel, and discretionary fuel. Final reserve is commonly 30 minutes holding at 1,500 ft above the alternate in ISA conditions, unless the approved policy specifies otherwise. Contingency fuel is normally a percentage of trip fuel or an approved equivalent method. Fuel must also cover APU use, anti-ice, and known delays.
Weight checks
Compare zero-fuel weight (ZFW) with MZFW, takeoff weight with MTOW, landing weight with MLW, and the CG with the certified envelope. Load control must also respect floor-loading limits and compartment limits.
Worked example
Basic empty weight 30,000 kg; payload 8,000 kg; fuel 6,000 kg. ZFW = 38,000 kg, but MZFW = 36,000 kg. Takeoff weight = 44,000 kg, but MTOW = 42,000 kg. The load is illegal twice. Reducing 2,000 kg of payload gives ZFW 36,000 kg and TOW 42,000 kg, satisfying both limits if landing weight and CG are also within limits.
Traps
Confusing volume with weight; using unverified passenger weights; ignoring taxi fuel burn before takeoff; checking only MTOW and not MLW or MZFW; and accepting a load sheet whose CG is outside the envelope. Always recompute after last-minute changes.