[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":333},["ShallowReactive",2],{"learn-\u002Flearn\u002Ffuel-planning-and-reserves":3,"learn-nav-\u002Flearn\u002Ffuel-planning-and-reserves":297},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"date":231,"description":232,"draft":233,"extension":234,"faqs":235,"howTo":245,"keyTakeaways":245,"meta":246,"navigation":247,"path":248,"quiz":249,"seo":277,"series":278,"seriesOrder":275,"sources":279,"stem":294,"topic":295,"__hash__":296},"learn\u002Flearn\u002Ffuel-planning-and-reserves.md","Fuel planning and reserves",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":221},"minimark",[9,13,19,24,35,39,48,92,101,105,120,162,170,173,177,180,184,210,214],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Running out of fuel is one of the most avoidable ways to lose an aircraft, which is why the rules never let you carry only what the trip itself needs.",[14,15,16],"blockquote",{},[10,17,18],{},"This is general educational information, not operational, legal, or regulatory advice. Rules differ by authority and change over time. Always verify against current official sources and follow your operator's approved procedures.",[20,21,23],"h2",{"id":22},"the-principle-and-the-icao-baseline","The principle, and the ICAO baseline",[10,25,26,27,34],{},"Fuel planning answers a simple question with a margin built in: enough fuel to fly the planned route, reach an alternate if you cannot land at the destination, and still have a reserve untouched on arrival. The international baseline is ",[28,29,33],"a",{"href":30,"rel":31},"https:\u002F\u002Fstore.icao.int\u002Fen\u002Fannex-6-operation-of-aircraft-part-i-international-commercial-air-transport-aeroplanes",[32],"nofollow","ICAO Annex 6",", which requires that a flight not begin unless it carries enough fuel to complete it safely, taking account of the conditions and of alternates, and which frames the modern fuel-planning schemes. The detailed figures, though, are written by each authority, and they differ, so attribute every reserve time or percentage to its source.",[20,36,38],{"id":37},"the-faa-rules","The FAA rules",[10,40,41,42,47],{},"In the United States the reserves are stated as flat times, in ",[28,43,46],{"href":44,"rel":45},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ecfr.gov\u002Fcurrent\u002Ftitle-14\u002Fchapter-I\u002Fsubchapter-F\u002Fpart-91\u002Fsubpart-B\u002Fsubject-group-ECFR4d5279ba676bedc\u002Fsection-91.151",[32],"14 CFR Part 91"," for general operations and Part 121 for airlines:",[49,50,51,69,84],"ul",{},[52,53,54,64,65,68],"li",{},[55,56,57,63],"strong",{},[28,58,62],{"href":59,"className":60},"\u002Flearn\u002Fglossary#gt-vfr",[61],"glossary-link","VFR",", aeroplanes (14 CFR 91.151):"," enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and then, at normal cruising speed, for at least ",[55,66,67],{},"30 minutes by day or 45 minutes by night",".",[52,70,71,79,80,83],{},[55,72,73,78],{},[28,74,77],{"href":75,"className":76},"\u002Flearn\u002Fglossary#gt-ifr",[61],"IFR"," (14 CFR 91.167):"," enough to fly to the destination, then to the most distant required alternate, then for ",[55,81,82],{},"45 minutes"," at normal cruising speed (with a different figure for helicopters).",[52,85,86,79,89,91],{},[55,87,88],{},"Domestic airline operations (14 CFR 121.639):",[55,90,82],{}," at normal cruising fuel consumption.",[10,93,94,95,100],{},"These are the ",[28,96,99],{"href":97,"rel":98},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ecfr.gov\u002Fcurrent\u002Ftitle-14\u002Fchapter-I\u002Fsubchapter-F\u002Fpart-91\u002Fsubpart-B\u002Fsubject-group-ECFR4d5279ba676bedc\u002Fsection-91.167",[32],"FAA's figures","; they are not EASA's and they are not universal.",[20,102,104],{"id":103},"the-easa-fuel-scheme","The EASA fuel scheme",[10,106,107,108,113,114,119],{},"EASA does not use a single reserve time. Its ",[28,109,112],{"href":110,"rel":111},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.easa.europa.eu\u002Fen\u002Fdocument-library\u002Feasy-access-rules\u002Feasy-access-rules-air-operations-regulation-eu-no-9652012",[32],"Air Operations rules",", restructured by ",[28,115,118],{"href":116,"rel":117},"https:\u002F\u002Feur-lex.europa.eu\u002Flegal-content\u002FEN\u002FTXT\u002FHTML\u002F?uri=CELEX:32021R1296",[32],"Regulation (EU) 2021\u002F1296"," and now in CAT.OP.MPA.180 and CAT.OP.MPA.181, require the usable fuel (or energy) to be built from named components:",[49,121,122,128,134,140,146,152],{},[52,123,124,127],{},[55,125,126],{},"Taxi fuel"," for ground movement before take-off;",[52,129,130,133],{},[55,131,132],{},"Trip fuel"," to fly from take-off to landing at the destination;",[52,135,136,139],{},[55,137,138],{},"Contingency fuel"," to cover unforeseen deviations from the plan;",[52,141,142,145],{},[55,143,144],{},"Destination-alternate fuel"," to reach the alternate if one is required;",[52,147,148,151],{},[55,149,150],{},"Final reserve fuel,"," a protected minimum based on a holding time at the alternate (or destination) that you should not plan to use;",[52,153,154,157,158,161],{},[55,155,156],{},"Additional fuel"," and ",[55,159,160],{},"discretionary (extra) fuel"," as the situation or the commander requires.",[10,163,164,165,169],{},"The exact percentages and times attach to these components in the regulation, and they are revised over time, so read the current ",[28,166,168],{"href":110,"rel":167},[32],"EASA Air Operations rules"," for the figures rather than memorising a number. The structure, not a single reserve time, is what makes the EASA scheme different from the FAA's.",[10,171,172],{},"Conceptually the components stack up into the fuel you load: taxi fuel for the ground movement, then trip fuel for the planned flight, then contingency fuel for the unexpected, then destination-alternate fuel to divert, then the final reserve that should still be there on arrival, with any additional and discretionary fuel on top. Seen that way, the value of the scheme is plain: it forces every part of the journey, including the parts you hope not to fly, to be accounted for in its own right rather than buried inside a single round figure.",[20,174,176],{"id":175},"why-the-margin-is-never-optional","Why the margin is never optional",[10,178,179],{},"Reserves are minimums, not targets. The real fuel figure has to absorb headwinds stronger than forecast, a runway change that lengthens the taxi, holding for traffic or weather, a missed approach and diversion, and the simple fact that the unusable fuel in the tanks cannot be burned. A tank that is physically full is not the same as a flight that is legally and sensibly fuelled, because what matters is fuel against the planned route and its contingencies, not litres in the wings. When the plan is tight, the answer is more fuel or a shorter leg, not optimism.",[20,181,183],{"id":182},"common-pitfalls","Common pitfalls",[49,185,186,192,198,204],{},[52,187,188,191],{},[55,189,190],{},"Treating the reserve as usable."," Final reserve fuel exists to still be there on arrival, not to extend the flight.",[52,193,194,197],{},[55,195,196],{},"Assuming one number fits."," The FAA's 30 and 45 minutes are FAA Part 91 figures; EASA uses a component scheme; airline rules differ again.",[52,199,200,203],{},[55,201,202],{},"Ignoring the conditions."," Wind, weather, holding, and a possible diversion all push the required figure above the bare minimum.",[52,205,206,209],{},[55,207,208],{},"Forgetting unusable fuel and the figures change."," Some fuel cannot be used, and the regulations are amended, so check the current rule for your operation.",[20,211,213],{"id":212},"in-pilot-efb","In Pilot EFB",[10,215,216,217,220],{},"Pilot EFB does ",[55,218,219],{},"not"," calculate fuel or reserves, and it is not a certified Electronic Flight Bag. It is a study and planning aid that keeps your weather, NOTAMs, flight time, and logbook in one offline-first place, which helps you judge the conditions a fuel plan has to survive. Work the fuel itself from the approved aircraft data and your operator's fuel policy, and treat the regulation for your operation as the binding requirement. Saved data stays readable offline; pulling fresh data needs a connection.",{"title":222,"searchDepth":223,"depth":223,"links":224},"",2,[225,226,227,228,229,230],{"id":22,"depth":223,"text":23},{"id":37,"depth":223,"text":38},{"id":103,"depth":223,"text":104},{"id":175,"depth":223,"text":176},{"id":182,"depth":223,"text":183},{"id":212,"depth":223,"text":213},"2026-05-29","Why a flight carries more fuel than the trip needs, the ICAO baseline, the FAA VFR and IFR reserve rules, and the EASA fuel-scheme components, each attributed because the numbers differ.",false,"md",[236,239,242],{"q":237,"a":238},"How much fuel reserve does the law require?","It depends on the authority and the operation. Under the FAA's 14 CFR 91.151, a VFR flight by aeroplane must be able to reach the first point of intended landing and then fly for 30 minutes by day or 45 minutes by night at normal cruise. EASA uses a component-based fuel scheme rather than a single figure, so always check the current rule for your operation.",{"q":240,"a":241},"What are the components of the EASA fuel scheme?","Under EASA's Air Operations rules the fuel or energy required is built from taxi fuel, trip fuel, contingency fuel, destination-alternate fuel, final reserve fuel, and any additional and discretionary fuel. The exact percentages and times are set in the regulation, so use it for the figures rather than assuming a single number.",{"q":243,"a":244},"Does Pilot EFB calculate fuel?","No. Pilot EFB does not compute fuel figures and is not a certified Electronic Flight Bag. It is a study and planning aid; work your fuel from the approved aircraft data and your operator's fuel policy, which are the source of truth, and treat the regulation for your operation as the binding requirement.",null,{},true,"\u002Flearn\u002Ffuel-planning-and-reserves",[250,259,268],{"q":251,"options":252,"answer":257,"explanation":258},"Under the FAA's 14 CFR 91.151, how much fuel reserve does a VFR flight by aeroplane need beyond reaching the first point of intended landing?",[253,254,255,256],"30 minutes by day or 45 minutes by night, at normal cruising speed","45 minutes by day or 30 minutes by night, at normal cruising speed","A holding time set as a percentage of trip fuel","60 minutes regardless of the time of day",0,"14 CFR 91.151 requires enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and then, at normal cruising speed, for at least 30 minutes by day or 45 minutes by night.",{"q":260,"options":261,"answer":266,"explanation":267},"How does the EASA fuel scheme differ from the FAA's reserve rules?",[262,263,264,265],"It uses a single flat reserve time like the FAA does","It builds the required fuel from named components rather than a single reserve time","It requires no reserve fuel at all","It applies only to VFR flights",1,"EASA does not use a single reserve time; it builds the usable fuel from named components such as taxi, trip, contingency, destination-alternate, final reserve, and additional and discretionary fuel. The structure, not a single reserve time, is what makes the EASA scheme different from the FAA's.",{"q":269,"options":270,"answer":275,"explanation":276},"What is the purpose of final reserve fuel under the EASA scheme?",[271,272,273,274],"To extend the flight when the plan is tight","To cover unforeseen deviations from the plan","To pay for ground movement before take-off","A protected minimum that should still be there on arrival, not planned to be used",3,"Final reserve fuel is a protected minimum based on a holding time that you should not plan to use; it exists to still be there on arrival, not to extend the flight.",{"title":5,"description":232},"plan-a-vfr-cross-country",[280,282,284,286,288,291],{"label":281,"url":30},"ICAO Annex 6: Operation of Aircraft, Part I",{"label":283,"url":110},"EASA Easy Access Rules for Air Operations (Regulation (EU) 965\u002F2012)",{"label":285,"url":116},"EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2021\u002F1296 (fuel planning and management)",{"label":287,"url":44},"FAA 14 CFR 91.151 (Fuel requirements for flight in VFR conditions)",{"label":289,"url":290},"FAA 14 CFR 91.167 (Fuel requirements for flight in IFR conditions)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ecfr.gov\u002Fcurrent\u002Ftitle-14\u002Fchapter-I\u002Fsubchapter-F\u002Fpart-91\u002Fsubpart-B\u002Fsubject-group-ECFRef6e8c57f580cfd\u002Fsection-91.167",{"label":292,"url":293},"FAA 14 CFR 121.639 (Fuel supply: all domestic operations)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ecfr.gov\u002Fcurrent\u002Ftitle-14\u002Fchapter-I\u002Fsubchapter-G\u002Fpart-121\u002Fsubpart-U\u002Fsection-121.639","learn\u002Ffuel-planning-and-reserves","Regulations","lp289SKGD8LcNxfP1IuAVgxvec0DiyHQoGmsEs2sl0w",{"related":298,"newer":306,"older":318,"series":324},[299,306,311],{"path":300,"title":301,"description":302,"date":303,"topic":295,"draft":233,"minutes":304,"series":305,"seriesOrder":223},"\u002Flearn\u002Fflight-time-limitations-explained","Flight time limitations explained","Flight time, duty, flight duty period and rest, explained plainly, with the EASA\u002FUK CAA and FAA limits attributed to each authority. Numbers differ by authority and change, so always check the current rule.","2026-06-14",4,"duty-rest-and-flight-time-limits",{"path":307,"title":308,"description":309,"date":310,"topic":295,"draft":233,"minutes":304,"series":278,"seriesOrder":223},"\u002Flearn\u002Fvfr-weather-minima-and-cruising-levels","VFR weather minima and cruising levels","The visibility and distance-from-cloud minima for visual flight, and the semicircular cruising-level rule, with the ICAO baseline and the EASA and FAA figures attributed because the units and numbers differ.","2026-05-30",{"path":312,"title":313,"description":314,"date":315,"topic":295,"draft":233,"minutes":316,"series":305,"seriesOrder":317},"\u002Flearn\u002Fstandby-and-reserve-duty","Standby and reserve duty","What standby and reserve mean, how airport standby differs from standby at home, how the FAA handles long-call and short-call reserve, and how standby converts into duty and the flight duty period.","2026-05-24",8,5,{"path":319,"title":320,"description":321,"date":322,"topic":323,"draft":233,"minutes":304,"series":245,"seriesOrder":245},"\u002Flearn\u002Frecency-and-currency","Recency and currency","The difference between being legally current and being proficient, with the EASA and FAA recent-experience rules for carrying passengers, night flight and instrument flight, each attributed to its authority.","2026-05-28","Logbook",{"slug":278,"title":325,"part":275,"total":317,"prev":306,"next":326},"Plan a VFR cross-country",{"path":327,"title":328,"description":329,"date":330,"topic":331,"draft":233,"minutes":332,"series":278,"seriesOrder":304},"\u002Flearn\u002Fchoosing-an-alternate-aerodrome","Choosing an alternate aerodrome","When an alternate is required, the FAA 1-2-3 rule and alternate minimums, the EASA planning-minima approach, and the practical checks of weather, approaches, runway and services.","2026-04-22","Briefing",7,1781989191476]