FUEL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT

1. GENERAL

Various planning procedures are applicable for flight planning thus the minimum fuel required
for the flights depends upon planning procedure applied, as well as weather requirements for
such the aerodromes to be planned as destination and alternate.

Actual total fuel requirements will vary dependent on both the prevailing conditions for each
and every planned flight, and also the recommendations or regulations improved by ;

 ICAO
 THE STATE OF REGISTRY (DOA)
 THE STATE OVER WHICH THE AEROPLANE IS TO BE FLOWN
 COMPANY REQUIREMENTS

An airline operator must establish a fuel policy for the purpose of flight planning and in flight
re-planning to ensure that every flight carries sufficient fuel for the planned operation and
reserve to cover any deviations from the planned operating conditions.

2. PLANNED OPERATING CONDITIONS

An operator shall ensure that the planning of flights is based on planned operating conditions.
The following operating conditions should be taken into account for each flight :

- Expected meteorological conditions;

- Anticipated weights;
- Routings;
- Altitudes;
- ATS procedures and restrictions;
- Procedures and data contained in or derived from the operations Manual or current aircraft
specific data, e.g. applicable climb, cruise descent and approach procedures;
- Realistic aircraft fuel consumption data.

3. FUEL POLICY

The fuel quantity required for a safe trip along the planned is calculated for each flight. Each
operator has its own policy. This policy is based on the loading of minimum regulatory fuel
requirements.

An operator must establish a fuel policy for the purpose of flight planning and in-flight re-
planning to ensure that every flight carries sufficient fuel for the planned operation and
reserves to cover deviations from the planned operation.

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3.1. STANDARD FUEL PLANNING

An operator should base the company fuel policy and ensure that the pre-flight calculation of
standard fuel required for a flight. The minimum fuel quantity calculated for flight planning is
defined as:

- Taxi fuel;
- Trip fuel;
- Reserve fuel consisting of:
- Contingency fuel.
- Alternate fuel, if a destination alternate is required.
- Final reserve or holding fuel.
- Additional fuel, if required by the type of operation (ETOPS, PPP, Isolated aerodrome),
Economy/Thru tankage or company fuel.

Contingency Additional
Final
fuel fuel
reserve fuel

Trip fuel
Alternate
fuel

Taxi
fuel
IFR procedure

Missed
approach
Parking Brake release
Wheel touch down

3.1.1. Taxi Fuel

Taxi fuel, which should not be less than the amount expected to be used prior to takeoff. Taxi
fuel usually a fixed or a standard quantity for an average taxi duration to cover APU
consumption, engine start and ground maneuvers until start of takeoff.
Note
Local conditions at the departure aerodrome and APU consumption should be taken into
account. Based on statistics or evaluation, the taxi duration and taxi fuel may need to be
adjusted.

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3.1.2. Trip Fuel

The required fuel quantity from brake release at the departure airport to the landing
touchdown at the destination airport, is referred to as trip fuel. This quantity takes into account
the necessary fuel for:
- Takeoff;
- Climb to cruise level;
- Flight from Top of Climb (ToC) to Top of Descent (ToD), including any step climb/descent;
- Flight from Top of Descent (ToD) to the beginning of approach;
- Approach;
- Landing at the destination airport.

3.1.3. Contingency Fuel

The amount of fuel required to cover deviations during flight from the Planned operating
conditions as well as to provide operational flexibility in case of in-flight malfunctions.

When planning a flight, the CF shall be 5% of the planned trip fuel. This amount may, to
accommodate payload or for fuel economy, be reduced to a minimum of 3% of the planned
trip fuel, provided an en route alternate is available*.

Note
*If an en route alternate is available within a circle having a radius equal to 20% of the total
flight plan distance, the center of which lies on the planned route at a distance from the
destination of 25% of the total flight plan distance.

3.1.4. Alternate Fuel

The amount fuel required to fly from planned destination to the planned alternate,
based on planned operating conditions. The alternate fuel takes into account the
necessary fuel for:
- Miss approach at the destination airport;
- Climb from the missed approach altitude to the cruise level;
- Flight from the end of climb to the beginning of descent;
- Flight from the beginning of descent to the beginning of the approach
- Approach
- Landing at the alternate airport;
- When two alternate airports are required, alternate fuel should be sufficient to proceed to
the alternate which requires the greater amount of fuel.

3.1.5. Final Reserve Fuel

The minimum fuel required to fly for 30 minutes (45 minutes for reciprocating engines aircraft)
at holding speed at 1,500 ft above aerodrome elevation, calculated with the estimated landing
weight at alternate or the destination when no alternate is required for flight planning.

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Note :
Whenever possible, a landing with fuel less than final reserve fuel should be avoided which
means, under normal operating conditions, final reserve fuel must remain unused upon
landing.

3.1.6. Additional Fuel

The amount of fuel in addition to minimum fuel, when applied, to cover Economy tankage/Thru
tankage, ETOPS planning or planned without alternate.

3.1.7. Additional reserve fuel

The amount of fuel required for isolated destination, to fly for two hours at normal cruise
consumption after arriving overhead the destination, including holding fuel.

3.1.8. Extra fuel

Fuel required upon the P-i-C’s discretion.

Note :
Carrying extra fuel means carrying extra weight, which results in higher fuel consumption
typically 4%/Hour/Ton of excess fuel.

3.1.9. Ramp fuel

The total fuel on board the aircraft before starting engines which are the sum of;

Taxi fuel + Trip fuel + Contingency fuel + Alternate fuel + Holding fuel
Takeoff fuel

Fuel Tankering

Company fuel policy to carry more fuel than the amount required to reduce overall costs
(ECO/THRU tankage).

Unnecessary fuel

The result caused by variation in estimated ZFW, selection of contingency fuel ( 5% instead of
3% when an en route is available), unmonitored company fuel and additional fuel (ECO/THRU
tank fuel), improper selection of destination alternate, unreasonable carrying of extra fuel.

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3.2. IN-FLIGHT REPLANNING

An operator shall ensure that in flight re-planning procedures for calculating usable fuel
required when a flight has to proceed along a route or to a destination other than originally
planned includes:

- Trip fuel for the remainder of the flight (from PoR to new destination);
- Reserve fuel consisting of:
- Contingency fuel.
- Alternate fuel, if a destination alternate is required.
- Final reserve or holding fuel.

POR

DEP Trip fuel

4. PLANNING PROCEDURE AND FUEL REQUIREMENTS ALTN
CF 5%

4.1. Standard fuel planning Alternate fuel NEW

Holding fuel DESTINATION
Except conditions stated in para 4.3, all IFR flights shall be planned with at least one
destination alternate, the minimum amount of fuel to be on board the aircraft are the sum of :

Taxi fuel + Trip fuel + Contingency fuel + Alternate fuel + Final reserve fuel.

DEP DEST ALTN

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4.2. Planning with two alternate aerodromes

An operator must select two destination alternates when the appropriate weather reports or
forecast for the destination, or any combination thereof, indicate that:

- When the weather at the destination does not meet the requirements for planning
without alternate, or with one destination alternate or;
- When no meteorological information is available or;
- Expected crosswind exceed limits for the aircraft types

The minimum amount of fuel to be on board the aircraft are the sum of :

Taxi fuel + Trip fuel + Contingency fuel + Alternate fuel (covering alternate requiring greater
amount of fuel) + Final reserve fuel.

DEP DEST

ALTN 1

ALTN 2

4.3. Planning without destination alternate aerodrome

Flight(s) can be planned without destination alternate provided that:

(a) the destination is fulfilled with all of the following criteria:

- The duration of the planned flight from take-off to landing does not exceed 6 hours; and
- Two separate runways are available and usable at the destination and;
- The meteorological conditions indicates that for the period from one hour before until one
hour after the expected time of arrival at destination, the ceiling will be at least 2000 ft or
circling height + 500 ft whichever is greater; and the visibility will be at least 5 KM.

The amount of fuel on board the aircraft at departure when planned without alternate are the
sum of :

Taxi fuel + Trip fuel + Contingency fuel + Final reserve fuel + Additional fuel 30 min.

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(b) the destination is isolated and no adequate destination alternate exist. The weather
requirement for isolated destination shall be the same as that required for destination
alternate planning minima.

The amount of fuel on board the aircraft at departure for isolated destination are the sum of :

Taxi fuel + Trip fuel + Contingency fuel + Additional fuel (fuel to fly for two hours at normal
cruise consumption after arriving overhead the destination, final reserve fuel is included in this
amount).

4.4. Predetermined Point Procedure (PPP)

If an operator’s fuel policy includes planning to a destination alternate via a predetermined

point where the intended destination is expecting not operational at the time of arrival, the
minimum amount of fuel to be on board the aircraft are the sum of:

Taxi fuel + Trip fuel (via PPP to selected alternate) + At least 2 Hours normal cruise
consumption + final reserve fuel.

DEP PPP
DEST
Burn-off to PPP
NOT
OPERATIONAL

ALTN

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4.5. Planning with secondary destination

When a direct planning to the intended destination is not possible due to range/payload or
wind, a flight may be planned with a secondary destination via a Point of Re-planning (PoR)
provided a reasonable chance exists to continue to the intended destination from the PoR.

The ATS flight plan shall normally be filed to the intended destination, and the re-clearance
shall be requested only when the flight is compelled to divert to the secondary destination.
The information shall be inserted in item 18: other information, RIF/……… (Re-clearance in
flight) Route details to the revised destination aerodrome, followed by ICAO 4-letter location
indicator. The revised route is subject to re-clearance in flight.

When planning with Secondary destination, the following fuel quantities shall be calculated :

1. Taxi fuel + Trip fuel (via POR to secondary destination) + 5% or 3% Contingency fuel +
Alternate fuel (alternate of secondary destination) + Final reserve fuel.

2. Trip fuel from POR to the intended destination + 5% Contingency fuel (from POR to the
intended destination) + Alternate fuel + Final reserve fuel.

Note:
Fuel quantity under 1. is the minimum fuel uplift from departure aerodrome.

If the fuel remaining over PoR is equal to or more than that calculated under 2 above, the
flight can proceed to the intended destination; otherwise, it should proceed to the secondary
destination. In exceptional case, re-planning in flight must be performed.

SEC ALTN

SEC DEST

(1)

POR (2)

DEP
ALTN
INTENDED

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The re-planning during flight is the responsibility of the P-I-C using the same criteria as the
pre-flight planning. It shall be carried out when :

- The weather conditions at the destination/ secondary destination or alternate(s) make a

landing uncertain;
- Fuel penalties due to ATC restrictions or unfavorable winds exceed contingency fuel and
extra fuel, if carried;
- The runway conditions hinder landing at the destination/ secondary destination or
alternate(s);
- The aircraft performance is seriously impaired by malfunctions;
- The holding time at the destination/ secondary destination is expected to exceed that for
which fuel is available;
- After re-planning, the remaining fuel must be enough for the flight to proceed to its
destination from the re-planning position without infringing the minimum fuel
requirements.

Re-planning without alternate

Proceeding to the intended destination, while en route or holding overhead destination,

without diversion fuel may be done if all the following are fulfilled :

- Flight time to the destination is one hour or less;

- Two separate runways meeting the landing requirements for the aircraft type are
available;
- No heavy showers or thunderstorms are expected;
- Estimated remaining fuel upon landing is not less than final reserve fuel;
- The ATS situation indicates that a landing can be made without excessive delay; and
- The actual weather in combination with the forecast indicate that, at the expected time of
arrival at the destination, the weather is at or above the requirements for alternate
planning minima.

4.6. Fuel Tankering

Fuel tankering is the practice of carrying more fuel than required for a particular sector in order
to reduce the quantity of fuel loaded at the destination airport for the following sector (or
sectors).

Why Tanker Fuel ?

- Shorter turnaround time;

- Limited amount of fuel available;
- Unreliable airport services;
- Fuel quality at destination airport;
- Fuel price differential.

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Fuel prices vary considerably from one station to another and great saving can therefore be
made by taking this into account when deciding actual uplift of fuel from different stations. The
difference in fuel price between the departure and destination airports must be large enough
to offset the cost of the additional fuel burned in carrying the tankered fuel. On flights where
fueling in excess of the minimum requirements will result in a saving in operating costs, a fuel
tankering shall be established. The amount of tankered fuel loaded may limited by :

- Certified MTOW;
- Performance limited MTOW;
- Certified MLW;
- Performance limited MLW;
- Fuel capacity.

The responsibility to comply with regulations concerning fuel tankering rests with Flight-deck
crew and Flight Dispatch, since they have information of (actual) load on each particular
flight. Consideration of appropriate landing weight (per aircraft type) shall be applied when fuel
tankering has been planned.

This tankage must be limited to an amount which will ensure the safe operation even at the
increased weight. In order to avoid weight problems, in case of last minute change, a suitable
margin must be left when calculating the total amount of fuel. On sectors limited by the
Landing Weight, this margin shall also be taken into consideration in order not to exceed
Maximum Landing Weight when actual payloads are higher than forecasted. The following
recommended pre-planned landing weight is to be applied :

B747 : MAX LW minus 3.0 tons

B777 : MAX LW minus 2.0 tons
A330/A300 : MAX LW minus 1.0 tons
B737 : MAX LW minus 0.5 ton

4.7. Thru tankage

Thru tankage is one of the Fuel Tankering concept which can be applied only when load
permit only otherwise Economy tankage should be planned. Thru tankage is the sum of
burnoff (for the first sector) + Minimum fuel required for the next sector (with consideration of
the Landing Weight not exceed MAX structure Landing Weight at destination). It is the P-i-C’s
consideration whether or not the extra fuel is required if fueling is not available at intermediate
station.

OO O

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