Originally Posted by
Seeburg220
We are trained, that when an aircraft declares minimum fuel, we are to advise the next sector if the aircraft is coming out of hold and is being handed off, and also management. Management will phone ahead and alert affected facilities. As a controller, I try and be accomodating, but like the above paragraph says, it's not an emergency. EFC's can change in a moment's notice, so I usually try and tell the holding aircraft what I think is going on, and an educated guess at how long it will be. Sometimes, we just don't know, especially when it's one facility shutting off another.
One of the things coming through reading the more than 600 ARSs is the reluctance for crews to declare min fuel and even more so to declare emergency fuel. In some ASRs the crews obviously know the difference between min and emergency but want special handling without declaring emergency. ??
Do you ask them to change t0 7700 or do they remain on the same squawk.
Anyone ever precede the min or emergency fuel declaration with Pan or Mayday?
Also, what happens when you give a reroute and the pilot refuses the clearance saying it will put them min fuel? Do they have to declare emergency fuel to stay on the original route.
I'm on an NRP and I get cleared direct. I don't want it because it will take me off the planned route for winds. I know we are supposed to be allowed to stay on NRPs but more than a few times, I have been pulled off and re-routed. What options do I have to refuse the re-route? Especially if it will cost me extra fuel and possibly put me min fuel?