Originally Posted by
quinny89
New help with an interview question i just can't seem to find (frustrating), lol:
When do you make the in-flight decision to utilize the second alternate? And what is the fuel requirement based on, the first or second alternate?
thanks
You make that decision based off the the current or forcast WX conditions of your alternate. If you pull up the ATIS, or get a report from dispatch, that your alternate is below mins, there is your decision point.
Sometimes your filed alternate isn't a true or good alternate. Alternates are given for legality versus being legit. Therefore it's up to the flight crew and dispatch to agree upon a resonable alternate.
DAL is often an alternate for DFW. The airports are about 12 miles from one another. If the wx takes a dump at DFW, 99.9% of the time, you're not gonna get into DAL. Crew and dispatch must agree upon a different alternate.
You fuel requirement is based off of the definition of IFR fuel requirements....
fly to the MOST DISTANT alternate and there after for 45 mins.