Dear Derek,
I would like to point out some crucial changes to the EU VO 965/2012 (“Air Operations”) which will change the basic fuel calculation principles with revision date 30 October 2022.
Essentially, CAT.OP.MPA.150 Basic Procedure will be suspended and replaced via CAT.OP.MPA.180 Fuel/Energy Schema and following. Obvious fact a) is that aircraft with eletric engines will be incorporated with this legal change, however b) there are many essential changes.
CAT.OP.MPA.180 Fuel / Energy Scheme - aerplanes
Operators can choose from three different options in the future:
(a) (3)
(i) Basic Scheme
(ii) Basic Scheme + Variations
(iii) Individual Schema
AMC1 CAT.OP.MPA.180 defines requirements for approval and GM1 CAT.OP.MPA.180 defines these schemes again. I am not quite sure why they have doubled it.
CAT.OP.MPA.181 Fuel / Energy Scheme + In-Flight Replanning - aerplanes
(b) defines basic guidelines for calculation (take anticipated masses into account e.g.)
c) defines new values:
(1) Taxi Fuel
(2) Trip Fuel
(3) Contingency Fuel
(4) Destination Alternate Fuel (new name)
-
at least one ALTN → fuel from destintaion to alternate
-
no ALTN → Hold at Destination (Final Reserve 30min) + Additional Fuel (15min)
(5) Final Reserve Fuel (FRF) (new abbreviaton)
-
45min reciprocating engines
-
30min jet engine
(6) Additional
additional fuel/energy, if required by the type of operation; it shall be the amount of fuel/energy to enable the aeroplane to land at a fuel/energy en route alternate aerodrome (fuel/energy ERA aerodrome critical scenario) in the event of an aircraft failure that significantly increases the fuel/energy consumption at the most critical point along the route; this additional fuel/energy is required only if the minimum amount of fuel/energy that is calculated according to points (c)(2) to (c)(5) is not sufficient for such an event;
- Type of Operations: ETOPS e.g. with ETOPS Additonal Fuel in case of deviation
(7) Extra
to take into account anticipated delays or specific operational constraints; and
- Extra is now solely a dispatch column and not any more commanders discetion
(8) Discretionary
if required by the commander.
- New column for flight crews
One additional option I would like to point out is GM1 CAT.OP.MPA.181 Basic Fuel Scheme:
FINAL RESERVE FUEL
(i) The operator may determine conservative (rounded-up) FRF values for each type and variant of aeroplane that is used in operations. The intent of this recommendation is:
(1) to provide a reference value for comparing to pre-flight fuel planning computations, and for the purpose of a "gross error check""; and
(2) to provide flight crews with easily referenced and recallable FRF figures to support in-flight fuel monitoring and decision-making activities.
Some other interesting changes are that type of approaches are now categorised in;
- (120d) ‘Type A instrument approach operation’ means an instrument approach operation with an MDH or a DH at or above 250 ft;
(120e) ‘Type B instrument approach operation’ means an operation with a DH below 250 ft. Type B instrument approach operations are categorised as:
(a) Category I (CAT I): a DH not lower than 200 ft and with either a visibility not less than 800 m or an RVR not less than 550 m;
(b) Category II (CAT II): a DH lower than 200 ft but not lower than 100 ft, and an RVR not less than 300 m;
(c) Category III (CAT III): a DH lower than 100 ft or no DH, and an RVR less than 300 m or no RVR limitation;
Baiscally the requirements (Planning Minima) for Alternates have changed signifcant.
Some questions:
- Will you implement the new fuel figures in the “EASA” definition?
- Will you offer the opportunity for certain reference Final Reserve Fuel Values (FRF) per aircraft via the aircraft definition?
- Can we expect the possibility to plan a) 2x DEST ALTN where the greater amount will be taken into account and both alternates are shown and b) NO ALTN with automatic 15min ADDFUEL?
As always, thank you Derek for your support and this great plattform!
Best Regards from Munich,
Alexander
