Ask The Pilot

[AviatorInsight]

For those familiar with Melbourne's 3AW radio station, on today's breakfast show they had this rumor regarding pilots managing fuel, etc..

What pilots are being told to do as fuel crisis worsens

On Tuesday’s edition of the Rumour File, Ross Stevenson revealed what pilots are being told to do during the current fuel crisis. The fuel crisis continues to have a huge impact on all industries, with aviation being one of them. “75% full won’t cut it,” Stevenson said on 3AW Breakfast. Press...

www.3aw.com.au

Not much detail in this audio clip, though, so difficult to know the full story.

Aviator Insight, can you shed any light on this?

That’s a great rumour.

We haven’t been told not to take off unless it’s full . If the loads are insufficient then ops will cancel the flight before I even get to the airport.

However, has anyone noticed a lot more idle reverse landings going on around the VA network? That’s one fuel saving initiative that has been brought in (albeit a couple of weeks prior to the conflict kicking off). Single engine taxi, and APU usage on the ground were all in effect months prior as well (not that I necessarily agree with any of these).

 

[NM]

That’s a great rumour.

We haven’t been told not to take off unless it’s full . If the loads are insufficient then ops will cancel the flight before I even get to the airport.

However, has anyone noticed a lot more idle reverse landings going on around the VA network? That’s one fuel saving initiative that has been brought in (albeit a couple of weeks prior to the conflict kicking off). Single engine taxi, and APU usage on the ground were all in effect months prior as well (not that I necessarily agree with any of these).

A company policy of using idle reverse did wonders for VH-OJH's golfing excursion in BKK back in 1999. Are there guard rails around when you should and should not use idle reverse, such not use idle reverse on a wet runway?