Page 18 - AA 2018_11

Making the call

FLIGHT LEVELS
A PILOT’S VIEW Understanding a fuel Mayday

‘Despite ven before the morning coffee and other aircraft in the surrounding to cover unforeseen eventualities that
had been brewed, social media
airspace that priority in the landing
may take place, based upon experience
and website forums were abuzz
all of this Eabout an unfolding drama at sequence is required, not requested. and local knowledge.
Still, it is not an ambiguous,
Despite all of this planning and
planning and Sydney Airport. United Airlines flight understated, “We’re getting a bit low forethought, situations can still occur
en route. Unforecast winds, conflicting
on gas here...” Such phrases have been
839 inbound from Los Angeles had
forethought, declared a fuel Mayday and the city used in the past on occasions and have traffic ‘trapping’ an aircraft at a lower
left air traffic control in the dark as to
and more fuel-thirsty level, aircraft
was on high alert. Emergency services
situations were being scrambled from nearby the severity of the situation. For fans system faults or significant diversions
around weather are just a handful
stations and roads were being closed
of the show Air Crash Investigations,
can still occur to clear them of traffic. you may recall the loss of Avianca of possible causes. In most cases,
there are still airports available for
Flight 52, a Boeing 707 flying from
At first glance one could be
en route.’ forgiven for thinking that the United Bogota to New York, via Medellin. It aircraft to divert into if a fuel issue is
Airlines Boeing 787 was already a
becoming critical – but not always.
crashed due to fuel exhaustion, and
glider, silently descending to earth poor communication of the aircraft’s Occasionally an unforecast weather
with empty tanks and without engine fuel state was pivotal. By transmitting phenomena can occur at the planned
power, its fate unknown, as its crew “Mayday Mayday Mayday FUEL”, it is destination with minimal notice.
struggled to reach the benchmark set clear and concise and understood by Well before a fuel Mayday is
by Sullenberger on the Hudson River all concerned, including other aircraft declared, crews will be very aware of
some years before. in the nearby airspace. Furthermore, any additional destination holding fuel
Doesn’t the media and internet using the term “FUEL” as part of the that may become required after their
just love a mid-air drama...or was it? emergency declaration conveys clearly departure and they will also request
In truth, the facts will only emerge the nature of the emergency to ATC. any expected delay if their fuel state
once the incident has been fully When a fuel Mayday is declared, is surfacing as a potential issue. As a
investigated, but that has never stood the ground support services have prelude to a fuel Mayday, the pilot-in-
in the way of mainstream media an action plan which they activate command can declare “minimum fuel”
sensationalising an aviation story. to prepare for a range of possible if any change to the existing clearance
Simply put, a ‘fuel Mayday’ is a scenarios. From the aircraft being will result in a landing with less than
required action by the crew when its unable to taxi to the gate, to the planned fixed reserve of fuel. It is
fuel on board is insufficient to meet potentially not being able to make not an emergency situation but advises
the minimum amount that is legally the airport at all. The first responders ATC that an emergency situation is
required to be remaining on landing. practise these scenarios on training possible if any further delays occur.
The AIP Enroute section expresses the days to validate their processes, from Unlike the Mayday, a minimum fuel
requirement as “…when the calculated entry to the aircraft to triage and declaration does not provide any
usable fuel predicted to be available distribution of patients at nearby priority handling by ATC. However,
upon landing at the nearest aerodrome hospitals. it will ensure that other ATC units are
where a safe landing can be made is As with all aspects of aviation, we aware of the aircraft’s fuel state when
less than the planned fixed fuel reserve prepare for the worst but endeavour handing them onto another frequency.
and as a result of this predicted fuel to manage the situation towards a far That the recent fuel Mayday
state, the aircraft requires immediate less dramatic outcome. Passengers are attracted so much media attention
assistance.” briefed before every departure on the is testament to the fact that it is a
It is not that the flight has already safety features of an aircraft and crews relatively rare event. It would have
A United Airlines 787-9 lands at run out of fuel. It is about offering review engine failure scenarios before been refreshing if a more in-depth
Sydney Airport. rob finlayson adequate warning to air traffic control takeoff as a safeguard. However, the explanation of the terminology had
moment “Mayday” hits the general been a part of the reporting, although
public’s eardrums and eyeballs via the that may be asking too much.
ever-enthusiastic media, the prospect A fuel Mayday is a distress
of rational reporting is doubtful. message, but as with most aspects of
This is not to say that a fuel aviation there is a process in place
Mayday is routine – it is not – it leading up to this declaration that is
is a distress message. Airlines and relatively unseen. However, when a
their crews go through numerous situation becomes critical, there is
processes to mitigate against risk and no room for subtlety or ambiguity
fuel management is at the forefront and the cold hard words of a Mayday
of those strategies. The carriage of call are necessary for all parties to
fuel needs to be considered in terms fully understand the gravity of the
of safety, aircraft performance and situation. For those of us in aviation, it
commercial considerations. Even then, is a critical part of our vocabulary, for
the final fuel order is often subject to others it would seem to be a passing
further interpretation and increased headline.

18 AUSTRALIAN AVIATION