CAT.OP.MPA.280 In-flight fuel management — aeroplanes

SI No. 1290/2024

Text in magenta in force from 30 October 2025

The operator shall establish a procedure to ensure that in-flight fuel checks and fuel management are carried out according to the following criteria.

1. In-flight fuel checks

   1. The commander shall ensure that fuel checks are carried out in-flight at regular intervals. The usable remaining fuel shall be recorded and evaluated to:

      1. compare actual consumption with planned consumption;

      2. check that the usable remaining fuel is sufficient to complete the flight, in accordance with (b); and

      3. determine the expected usable fuel remaining on arrival at the destination aerodrome.

   2. The relevant fuel data shall be recorded.

2. In-flight fuel management

   1. The flight shall be conducted so that the expected usable fuel remaining on arrival at the destination aerodrome is not less than:

      1. the required alternate fuel plus final reserve fuel; or

      2. the final reserve fuel if no alternate aerodrome is required.

   2. If an in-flight fuel check shows that the expected usable fuel remaining on arrival at the destination aerodrome is less than:

      1. the required alternate fuel plus final reserve fuel, the commander shall take into account the traffic and the operational conditions prevailing at the destination aerodrome, at the destination alternate aerodrome and at any other adequate aerodrome in deciding whether to proceed to the destination aerodrome or to divert so as to perform a safe landing with not less than final reserve fuel; or

      2. the final reserve fuel if no alternate aerodrome is required, the commander shall take appropriate action and proceed to an adequate aerodrome so as to perform a safe landing with not less than final reserve fuel.

   3. The commander shall declare an emergency when the calculated usable fuel on landing, at the nearest adequate aerodrome where a safe landing can be performed, is less than final reserve fuel.

   4. Additional conditions for specific procedures

      1. On a flight using the RCF procedure, to proceed to the destination 1 aerodrome, the commander shall ensure that the usable fuel remaining at the decision point is at least the total of:

         1. trip fuel from the decision point to the destination 1 aerodrome;

         2. contingency fuel equal to 5 % of trip fuel from the decision point to the destination 1 aerodrome;

         3. destination 1 aerodrome alternate fuel, if a destination 1 alternate aerodrome is required; and

         4. final reserve fuel.

      2. On a flight using the PDP procedure to proceed to the destination aerodrome, the commander shall ensure that the usable fuel remaining at the PDP is at least the total of:

         1. trip fuel from the PDP to the destination aerodrome;

         2. contingency fuel from the PDP to the destination aerodrome; and

         3. additional fuel.

CAT.OP.MPA.280 will be repealed on 30 October 2025.