Originally Posted by
Hotel Kilo
NYC is an excellent example of where you thesis falls apart. I can also say the same for LAX, SEA, MSP, ATL and DTW. I've seen it go sideways at all of those places.
No it doesn't. Again. START with 45 minutes and add for the conditions. Is there convective activity over all of NYC, or just JFK? If it's just JFK, than EWR wouldn't be that hard to get into. And if all 3 major NYC airports are busy, you have BDL, SWF, and ABE. I was based in NYC for years and never had an issue getting to another airport even when the TRACON was down to primary radar during a line of thunderstorms. The same is true for all the other hubs. There are plenty of secondary airports we can go to that are not as busy as the main hub if you need a backup airport.
Originally Posted by
Hotel Kilo
You instructors have data on it all. They are in the meetings, they see the trends and what's going on out there. They are not making these numbers up.
Then it would be in a manual. Actually they recently updated our go-around and approach fuel recommendations due to recent data and lowered the numbers. Again, I think you are not understanding what I am saying. At Delta, they give us 70 minutes of fuel if there is no alternate. We get 45 minutes for FARs and 25 minutes of contingency per the FOM. We have policies regarding fuel planning already. We don't go by some random number an instructor who has been here for a couple of years says in a briefing room.
Originally Posted by
Hotel Kilo
What do limit weights have to do with the fuel discussion?
Because imagine if an instructor said to always takeoff 1,000 lbs under the runway limit. That is the same as saying you should land with 6,000 lbs of fuel.
My biggest gripe with a single fuel number is it falls apart quickly. That HNL flight is a perfect example. The captain diverted to an airport that was 2 minutes closer because they were going to land with 62 minutes of fuel. Are you telling me that when you check on with JFK approach and realize you will land with 62 minutes of fuel are you going to divert to ABE?