The aim of this briefing is to outline the importance of understanding the fuel system of any aircraft that you operate, and the importance of proper fuel planning

1. IMPORTANCE OF FUEL PLANNING
Mike Shama

2. AIM
The aim of this briefing is to outline the importance of understanding the
fuel system of any aircraft that you operate, and the importance of proper
fuel planning

3. CONTENTS
• Weather and Fuel
• Major Causes of Accidents
• Fuel System
• Dirty Fuel
• Max Fuel
• W&B
• Planning for Fuel

4. Weather and Fuel
• What’s our alternate
• En-route alternate?
• Flying IF: 2 alternates
• What are the winds? Do we have a headwind
• Hot, High, and Heavy?
• Extra pax and cargo turn up for the flight
• More power used = more fuel burnt

5. Major Causes of Accidents
• Fuel Starvation, Exhaustion, Contamination
• Reasons
• Inadequate fuel system knowledge
• Preflight planning issues
• Take-off and landing checks
• Monitor consumption during flight
• Refuelling errors

6. Fuel System
• Fuel Exhaustion:
• No more fuel on board
• Incorrect Planning? Leak?
• Fuel Starvation
• Fuel onboard but it isn’t reaching the engine
• Closed valve? Blocked line? Leak?
• If you are not current in a particular type of aircraft that you fly
regularly reread the aircraft flight manual and re-familiarize
yourself with special attention to the fuel system.

7. Dirty Fuel
• Contamination of the fuel
• Clogs filters
• Doesn’t burn/ignite correctly/completely/at all
• Must know your fuel system in order to properly
drain and check the fuel prior to flight
• Different TYPE of aircraft may have a different fuel
system
• Must know the system and how to drain/check
• Operating from unfamiliar or remote area/airfield:
don’t trust their fuel checking procedures.

8. Max Fuel
• Payload: The load available for passengers, baggage,
freight, etc. after the weight of pilot, crew, usable
fuel have been deducted from the useful load.
• Often not possible to take max fuel
• Importance of knowing what you must carry for fuel
before planning for pax/cargo

9. W&B
• Know your definitions:
• Know how your anticipated fuel burn will affect your
weight and most importantly your OGE/IGE
performance both at departure, en-route, and at
destination
Maximum Ramp Weight
Maximum weight approved for ground operations (includes fuel for runup
and taxi).
Maximum Takeoff Weight Maximum weight approved for takeoff.
Maximum Landing Weight Maximum weight approved for landing.

10. Planning for Fuel
• Warm-up, Taxi and Climb fuel
• Cruise fuel (Trip fuel)
• Legal fuel reserve
• Is it ok for you to plan to fly into this on your nav/charter?
• What is the legal reserve requirement
• Contingency fuel
• Planned fuel consumption vs actual
• Critical to monitor your fuel burn

11. SUMMARY
• Fuel gives you options in flight
• You should always be very focussed on fuel planning
when putting together your flight
• If the flight does face unanticipated variables like
stronger winds, have alternate plans. Know how to
improvise an effective plan utilising your knowledge
of the fuel available
• Know your fuel system intimately
• MONITOR your fuel levels and be ACCURATE always

12. QUESTIONS

13. IMPORTANCE OF FUEL PLANNING
Mike Shama