New fuel rules start today 08/11/2018

[Admin]

New fuel rules start today

 

8 November 2018

 

The rules covering minimum fuel in Australian aircraft have changed.

 

From today, new fuel rules are in force for all pilots and operators – except those able to operate under a recent exemption. These are AOC and Part 141 certificate holders with a certificate in force as of yesterday, who must transition to the new rules by 28 February 2019.

 

The main changes are:

 

• re-introducing a fixed fuel reserve requirement
   
   
  
• reducing reserve requirements for day visual flight rules (VFR) for small piston or turboprop aeroplanes
   
   
  
• requiring pilots to conduct in-flight fuel management with regular fuel quantity checks and, if required, declare Mayday Fuel
   
   
  
• introducing 'additional fuel', which simplifies the planning requirements for fuel contingencies
   
   
  

 

 

Many pilots and operators are already complying with the new rules as they have been in our guidelines for some time. These changes remove uncertainty by clarifying what you must legally do.

 

For more information, including guidance material:

 

• CASA website
   
   
  
• [email protected]
   
   
  

 

 

 

 

[Roundsounds]

Thank goodness, we should all feel so much safer now these new rules are in place. You’ll never see another Australian aircraft run out of fuel again. Much better to legislate than educate pilots. Particularly when the statistics show the incidence of fuel exhaustion have been steadily decreasing for the past 15 years and the bulk of incidents have involved commercial operators who have had mandated fuel reserves as part of their operations manual.

 

 

[Thruster88]

Nobody is going to want to make that Mayday call with all their peer' s listening so everyone will land with 30 mins remaining. it might just work.

 

 

[Yenn]

I used to run on 45 min reserve and will still do that. 30 mins doesn't allow for much if you are flight planning down to that close a figure.

 

Don't know how I will be able to calculate fuel remaining in flight with great accuracy. My fuel gauges are not very accurate so I just keep a time and consumption figure.

 

 

[frank marriott]

I started flying with 45mins fixed reserve plus variable of 10 or 15% and never changed that approach so to my operations it is purely worthless words.

 

 

[Roundsounds]

I used to run on 45 min reserve and will still do that. 30 mins doesn't allow for much if you are flight planning down to that close a figure.Don't know how I will be able to calculate fuel remaining in flight with great accuracy. My fuel gauges are not very accurate so I just keep a time and consumption figure.

Whatever you do don’t tell them your gauges aren’t accurate. Just make up something and keep it in a folder undated.

If you’re doing local operations or training, 30 mins is plenty for reserves.

 

 

[Roundsounds]

going places in a Yak 52 will be a pain. They hold 120 litres, use 12 for warmup / takeoff the burn about 60 litres per hour, which provides and endurance of 108 mins. Take your 30 mins off that and you’re left with 78 mins @ say 120 kts nil wind. Allow 10 mins for approach and you’ve got about 135 NM range nil wind. I’ve landed many times with both 12 litres lights flashing, which would mean under the new rules I’d need to call a Fuel Mayday.

 

I don’t know if any Yak 52s having suffered from fuel exhaustion. Yak pilots are aware of the limitations and plan accordingly.

 

 

[djpacro]

It is 30 mins at holding rate.

 

I expect to call “minimum fuel” every now and then when inbound to my local Class D airfield.

 

 

[turboplanner]

Whatever you do don’t tell them your gauges aren’t accurate. Just make up something and keep it in a folder undated.If you’re doing local operations or training, 30 mins is plenty for reserves.

I used to think that for years, after years where, with local training you usually had the same weather at the start and finish., and this would probably apply for most people for the duration of their flying life.

I changed my thinking on fuel, and also carry nav equipment after several incidents; one pilot couldn't get back because his home field was closed due to visibility, another made a forced landing when fog rolled in, and another where the take off was clear and a rain squall blew in over the downwind base area. These all occurred at fields close to the coast, but showed me that there was always that odd chance where it might be necessary to depart for another airfield when all you wanted to do was some practice with a few circuits.