ADX Fuel Management and Planning Flashcards

What is 'trip fuel' in dispatcher fuel planning?

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.

What is the purpose of 'alternate fuel' in a dispatch fuel plan?

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.

Under 14 CFR Part 121, what is the minimum domestic reserve fuel required at the destination?

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.

What is 'contingency fuel' in a dispatcher's fuel plan?

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.

What does a 'minimum fuel' declaration by a pilot signify?

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.

Which combination of factors does a dispatcher primarily use to calculate en-route fuel burn?

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.