"There is no definition of minimum fuel in the FARs."
"What do you use for min fuel and how is that determined?"
§ 121.639 Fuel supply: All domestic operations.
No person may dispatch or take off an airplane unless it has enough fuel—
(a) To fly to the airport to which it is dispatched;
(b) Thereafter, to fly to and land at the most distant alternate airport (where required) for the airport to which dispatched; and
(c) Thereafter, to fly for 45 minutes at normal cruising fuel consumption or, for certificate holders who are authorized to conduct day VFR operations in their operations specifications and who are operating nontransport category airplanes type certificated after December 31, 1964, to fly for 30 minutes at normal cruising fuel consumption for day VFR operations.
[Doc. No. 6258, 29 FR 19222, Dec. 31, 1964, by Amdt. 121–251, 60 FR 65935, Dec. 20, 1995]
§ 121.647 Factors for computing fuel required.
Each person computing fuel required for the purposes of this subpart shall consider the following:
(a) Wind and other weather conditions forecast.
(b) Anticipated traffic delays.
(c) One instrument approach and possible missed approach at destination.
(d) Any other conditions that may delay landing of the aircraft.
For the purposes of this section, required fuel is in addition to unusable fuel.
"The definition is in the AIM.
There is also no definition of emergency fuel in the FARs."
http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviat.../info08004.pdf
"What do you use for emergency fuel and how is that determined?"
Several factors, should be defined in your company's flight operation manual
** This is where I became very suspicious:
"Situation:
You have been dispatched from KATL to KLAX. Your flight plan is for FL350 but due to turb/wx/ATC, you are initially given FL290. You are over VUZ (Vulcan) in Alabama, level at FL290. You run your fuel log and see that you will arrive at KLAX with min fuel. What do you do while over VUZ? (or if you want, EMB-145 KATL-KPHL.. and over GSO)
What do you expect ATC to do?
FWIW.. there are more than 600 min fuel NASA ASRSs on file and contrary to recent stories, there does not seem to be more ASR being filed. Have you filed one recently for min fuel?
FYI.. background for possible article so all input from professional aviators flying the line will be helpful. Like FOQA, all info sterilized..."
Where did you determine the flight level numbers going from Atlanta to Los Angeles?
If you want something for the newspaper:
"Pilots' first concern is safety, the amount of fuel they carry to landing is based primarily on that with a degree or two of comfort level, experience, judgement and good business practices."