Time to carry extra fuel for tower issues
#12
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Joined: May 2017
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From: Guppy
They also said LAS wasn't accepting any arrivals at that point and to get with their companies and advise where they were diverting.
While you may be technically correct that the airport wasn't "closed," every aircraft inbound to LAS at that point was not going to LAS anymore.
#13
I was in the air last night with Denver Center when they started telling LAS-bound aircraft LAS was ATC Zero.
They also said LAS wasn't accepting any arrivals at that point and to get with their companies and advise where they were diverting.
While you may be technically correct that the airport wasn't "closed," every aircraft inbound to LAS at that point was not going to LAS anymore.
They also said LAS wasn't accepting any arrivals at that point and to get with their companies and advise where they were diverting.
While you may be technically correct that the airport wasn't "closed," every aircraft inbound to LAS at that point was not going to LAS anymore.

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#14
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Joined: Mar 2018
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any Captain not making a decision until :45 mins of fuel, while knowing these conditions exist, is playing with fire. That equates to roughly 4000#’s on the guppy. I’d be on the ground looooong before that.
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: 737 fo
Not directed to you Dave:
Declaring an emergency for this situation should be done if you are gonna get that low, but you better be able to answer why you did not divert sooner.
#19
At uncontrolled airports you need a void time to take off IFR. You will get one when someone that is on an approach lands and cancels. The next airplane will not get an approach clearance if someone has a void time. Much longer process... adding fuel for this contingency is a good call.
Not directed to you Dave:
Declaring an emergency for this situation should be done if you are gonna get that low, but you better be able to answer why you did not divert sooner.
Not directed to you Dave:
Declaring an emergency for this situation should be done if you are gonna get that low, but you better be able to answer why you did not divert sooner.
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#20
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Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5,213
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From: guppy CA
If you're aware that the tower will be closed, or is likely to, then I agree. But carrying a ton of extra fuel all over the US because "Corona" is not something I'd do - if you find yourself in a pinch you have options. We're not flying into Diego Garcia here. There are tons of reasons to add fuel, but that's not a good one at least in my opinion.
With jet fuel now under $1/gallon, it's less than $300 to carry an extra 2000 lbs of fuel. It buys time to hold rather than divert. And if everything goes OK, you're not going to burn 2000 lbs of fuel by carrying it as insurance.
Now, what's a divert cost?
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