ADX Fuel Management and Planning Flashcards
6 cards from real ADX practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 ADX Fuel Management and Planning flashcards as text
What is 'holding fuel' in a dispatcher's fuel plan?
Answer: Fuel loaded to allow the aircraft to fly holding patterns at or near the destination for a planned duration
Holding fuel accounts for the possibility that ATC or weather will require the aircraft to circle at the destination before being cleared for approach.
What is the 'specific range' of an aircraft?
Answer: The nautical miles flown per unit of fuel burned, used to find the most fuel-efficient cruise condition
Specific range (SR) is analogous to miles per gallon for aircraft; dispatchers use SR curves to select the most economical cruise altitude and speed.
How does a tailwind component affect total fuel burn for a flight?
Answer: It reduces fuel burn because the aircraft covers the ground distance in less time at the same airspeed
A tailwind increases groundspeed relative to airspeed, meaning the aircraft reaches the destination sooner and burns less fuel for the same route.
What is the dispatcher's regulatory responsibility regarding fuel before signing a dispatch release?
Answer: To verify the fuel plan meets all FAR minimums including trip, alternate, required reserve, and any additional contingency fuel
Under 14 CFR 121.533, the dispatcher jointly shares responsibility with the captain and must verify all regulatory fuel requirements are met before signing the release.
What is 'cost index' and how does it influence fuel planning?
Answer: A ratio balancing the cost of fuel against the cost of time that determines the optimal cruise speed for minimum trip cost
Cost index (CI) is entered into the FMS; a high CI favors speed to save time cost, burning more fuel, while a low CI favors slower speed to save fuel cost.
When is a fuel stop (technical stop) used in long-haul dispatch planning?
Answer: When the destination is beyond the aircraft's range at the required payload, requiring an intermediate refueling stop
A technical stop for fuel allows the aircraft to fly a route that exceeds its one-leg range at the required payload by breaking it into two legs with a refueling uplift.