ADX ADX Fuel Management and Planning 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'trip fuel' in dispatcher fuel planning?
- The calculated fuel required to fly from the departure airport to the destination airport (Correct answer)
- The fuel required solely for engine start and taxi to the runway
- The total quantity of fuel physically loaded onto the aircraft
- The regulatory reserve fuel that must remain upon landing
Correct answer: The calculated fuel required to fly from the departure airport to the destination airport
Trip fuel is the computed fuel burn for the planned route under forecast winds, temperatures, and altitudes from origin to destination.
Question 2: What is the purpose of 'alternate fuel' in a dispatch fuel plan?
- Fuel needed to fly from the destination airport to the filed alternate airport if landing at the destination is not possible (Correct answer)
- Fuel carried for a replacement aircraft in case the assigned aircraft is swapped
- Additional comfort fuel loaded at the captain's discretion for passenger experience
- The fuel consumed during ground taxi operations at the origin airport
Correct answer: Fuel needed to fly from the destination airport to the filed alternate airport if landing at the destination is not possible
Alternate fuel is computed for the missed approach at destination, climb, cruise, and descent to the alternate airport, covering the contingency of a diverted landing.
Question 3: Under 14 CFR Part 121, what is the minimum domestic reserve fuel required at the destination?
- Fuel to fly for 45 minutes at normal cruise fuel consumption after reaching the destination (Correct answer)
- Fuel to fly for 30 minutes at holding speed above the destination airport
- Fuel to fly for 60 minutes at maximum continuous power above the destination
- Fuel to fly for 20 minutes at approach speed in the terminal area
Correct answer: Fuel to fly for 45 minutes at normal cruise fuel consumption after reaching the destination
14 CFR 121.639 requires domestic flag operations to carry enough fuel to reach the airport and then fly for 45 additional minutes at normal cruise.
Question 4: What is 'contingency fuel' in a dispatcher's fuel plan?
- Additional fuel carried to cover unexpected deviations, increased fuel burn, or extended routing (Correct answer)
- Fuel reserved exclusively for taxi operations at the destination airport
- Fuel set aside for the exclusive use of the flight crew during the trip
- Fuel loaded as dead weight to meet minimum structural weight requirements
Correct answer: Additional fuel carried to cover unexpected deviations, increased fuel burn, or extended routing
Contingency fuel provides a safety margin for forecast errors, routing changes, ATC-mandated deviations, or higher-than-planned fuel burn during the flight.
Question 5: What does a 'minimum fuel' declaration by a pilot signify?
- A notification that the aircraft will have little or no reserve fuel remaining upon reaching the destination (Correct answer)
- An immediate emergency declaration requiring priority handling and runway clearance
- A request for direct routing to the nearest airport due to fuel exhaustion
- A declaration that the aircraft has already run out of usable fuel
Correct answer: A notification that the aircraft will have little or no reserve fuel remaining upon reaching the destination
'Minimum fuel' is an advisory — not an emergency — that alerts ATC the aircraft can accept no significant delay without declaring a fuel emergency.
Question 6: Which combination of factors does a dispatcher primarily use to calculate en-route fuel burn?
- Route distance, aircraft weight, planned altitude, cruise airspeed, and forecast winds (Correct answer)
- Passenger head count, scheduled flight duration, and published ticket revenue
- Crew flight experience levels, aircraft maintenance history, and weather alone
- Runway lengths at the origin and destination airports
Correct answer: Route distance, aircraft weight, planned altitude, cruise airspeed, and forecast winds
Fuel burn is a function of route distance flown, aircraft gross weight, altitude-dependent engine efficiency, airspeed, and wind components along each segment.
ADX ADX Fuel Management and Planning 1
What is 'trip fuel' in dispatcher fuel planning?