Minimum Fuel Required for IFR Flight

Components of Minimum Fuel Required for IFR Flight

To determine the minimum fuel required for IFR flight, pilots must include:

• Taxi Fuel: Fuel expected to be consumed before take-off, including engine start, taxiing, and run-up.
• Trip Fuel: Fuel needed from take-off to landing at the destination, covering all flight phases (climb, cruise, descent, approach).
• Contingency Fuel: Extra fuel to cover unforeseen circumstances during the trip (e.g., deviations, unexpected weather). For most IFR flights, this is 5% of planned trip fuel, but can be reduced under certain regulatory conditions.
• Alternate Fuel: If a destination alternate is required, this is the fuel to fly from the destination to the alternate, including a missed approach.
• Final Reserve Fuel: For IFR, this is the fuel to fly for 30 minutes at holding speed at 1,500 ft above aerodrome elevation (using forecast mass on arrival at the alternate, or destination if no alternate is required).
• Extra Fuel: Any additional fuel the commander deems necessary, based on operational judgement (e.g., weather, traffic delays).

Regulatory Fuel Planning Steps

1. Calculate each segment using aircraft performance data and forecast meteorological conditions.
2. Add all mandatory segments to determine the minimum block (ramp) fuel.
3. Ensure compliance with EASA fuel policy, which may differ from other authorities in some details.
4. Always consider operational realities—legal minimums are the baseline, but extra fuel may be prudent.

Key Considerations

• Carrying more fuel than necessary increases weight and fuel burn, impacting efficiency and costs.
• Never depart with less than the calculated minimum fuel required for IFR flight, as this is both a safety and regulatory breach.
• Review and update calculations if conditions change before departure.