Category: listener-mail

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When to declare minimum fuel and when to declare an emergency was inspired by an email from a listener. We discuss the terms, the rules, and some practical advice in dealing with emergency.

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Cruise Flight/When To Declare Minimum Fuel and When To Declare An Emergency:

Listener mail:

Hi Carl.

I just stumbled upon your site. Very nice! A lot of good information. Thanks for posting it.

I do want to call your attention to an issue in your article titled “Should I Declare Minimum Fuel If I Have An Alternate?”

Should I Declare Minimum Fuel If I Have An Alternate?

In that article, you state “The wonderful aspect when declaring minimum fuel is that it is an advisory to ATC and requires no paperwork.” This seems to imply that if you declare an emergency you have to submit “paperwork.”

In fact, since at least the 70’s, it is rare that you’ll have any contact at all with the FAA post-flight after declaring an emergency, and it is exceedingly rare that any “paperwork” will be involved. I feel it is very important to ensure that pilots know this so they do not hesitate to declare an emergency if they need assistance. Avianca flight 52 is an example of what can happen if pilots are hesitant to declare an emergency.

So it’s great to get the word out about the “minimum fuel” declaration, but not so great to portray it as a way to avoid declaring an emergency if an emergency exists.

My $0.02, and worth about that much!
ATP/CFI

• When you should declare minimum fuel.
• MINIMUM FUEL− Indicates that an aircraft’s fuel supply has reached a state where, upon reaching the destination, it can accept little or no delay. This is not an emergency situation but merely indicates an emergency situation is possible should any undue delay occur.
• When you should declare emergency fuel.
• EMERGENCY− A distress or an urgency condition.
• URGENCY− A condition of being concerned about safety and of requiring timely but not immediate assistance; a potential distress condition.
• DISTRESS− A condition of being threatened by serious and/or imminent danger and of requiring immediate assistance.
• General advice on declaring an emergency.
• Chapter 6 of the AIM Emergency Procedures
• Request assistance immediately
• Don’t Hint and Hope
• Use the transponder
• MAYDAY− The international radiotelephony distress signal. When repeated three times, it indicates imminent and grave danger and that immediate assistance is requested.
• ATC assistance
• After You land think about the ELT.
• Maybe invest in a PLB.
• Survive by being discovered easily.
• Search and Rescue.
• Don’t worry about the aircraft. The insurance agency now owns it.

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