Call us on +44(0)1383 252001

Recent Fuel Planning and All Wx Ops Policy Changes

31st May 2025   
Recent Fuel Planning and All Wx Ops Policy Changes (CAA and EASA)

A logo of an airplane AI-generated content may be incorrect.

       UK CAA FUEL PLANNING / A.W.O.  POLICY UPDATE

 

 

A summary of relevant changes to the UK CAA Aircrew and Ops Rules to be effective on 30 October 2025 following issue of ORS9 Decision 47 is:

  • Definitions for fuel / energy and AWO now aligned with EASA OPS.
  • Part ARO.OPS now aligned with EASA OPS.

Fuel Planning Policy

This section was renumbered from CAT.OP.MPA.150 to CAT.OP.MPA.180 in EASA OPS effective 30 October 2022 and the content was revised substantially. The latest CAA change aligns with EASA (3 years late…). The EASA change was prompted in part by the issue of ICAO Doc 9976 Flight Planning and Fuel Management (FPFM) Manual (1st Edition, 2015).

In summary, there are no changes (except to final reserve for recip. engines) provided the “basic” fuel scheme is used. In particular:

  1. Contingency remains 5%, or 3% if an ERA is used; the position of the ERA is the same (within circle of 20% of trip distance centred 25% of distance back from destination)
  2. The breakdown of fuel required remains the same:
  1. Taxi.
  2. Trip.
  3. Contingency 5% (3% if using ERA).
  4. Alternate.
  5. Final reserve (at holding speed at 1500ft above destination alternate) recip 45 mins, turbine 30 mins (was cruise 45 mins for recip, no altitude specified).
  6. Additional if required by operation.
  7. Discretionary if required by Cdr.
  1. There is now more guidance on how to plan for arrival routing (point merge or point trombone) and anticipated delays, but nothing basically changes.
  2. Operators may vary the basic scheme provided there is sufficient statistical data (see GM2 CAT.OP.MPA.181)
  3. Operators may use an individual scheme that complies with ICAO Doc 9976 Flight Planning and Fuel Management (see GM3 CAT.OP.MPA.181) (subject of course to NAA approval).

 

It is expected that the ATPL exam questions will not be greatly affected (if at all) by these changes, but this will be monitored carefully

 

 

All Weather Ops (AWO)

Non-precision and precision approach types are re-defined. The old definition of NPA was: ‘an instrument approach with a minimum descent height (MDH), or DH when flying a CDFA technique, not lower than 250 ft and an RVR/CMV of not less than 750 m for aeroplanes.’

The new definitions are:

1.      ‘Instrument approach operation’ means an approach and landing using instruments for navigation guidance based on an instrument approach procedure (IAP). There are two methods for executing instrument approach operations:

    1. a two-dimensional (2D) instrument approach operation, using lateral navigation guidance only; and
    2. a three-dimensional (3D) instrument approach operation, using both lateral and vertical navigation guidance

2.      ‘Instrument approach procedure (IAP)’ means a series of predetermined manoeuvres by reference to flight instruments with specified protection from obstacles from the initial approach fix or, where applicable, from the beginning of a defined arrival route to a point from which a landing can be completed and thereafter, if a landing is not completed, to a position at which holding or en-route obstacle clearance criteria apply.  IAPs are classified as follows:

  1. non-precision approach (NPA) procedure, which means an IAP designed for 2D instrument approach operations Type A.
  2. approach procedure with vertical guidance (APV) means a performance-based navigation (PBN) IAP designed for 3D instrument approach operations Type A.
  3. precision approach (PA) procedure means an IAP based on navigation systems designed for 3D instrument approach operations Type A or B.

3.      ‘Type A instrument approach operation’ means an instrument approach operation with an MDH or a DH at or above 250ft.

4.      ‘Type B instrument approach operation’ means an operation with a DH below 250ft. Type B instrument approach operations are categorised as:

  1. Category I (CAT I): a DH not lower than 200ft and with either a visibility not less than 800m or an RVR not less than 550m (no change).
  2. Category II (CAT II): a DH lower than 200ft but not lower than 100ft, and an RVR not less than 300m (no change).
  3. Category III (CAT III): a DH lower than 100ft or no DH, and an RVR less than 300m or no RVR limitation (the distinction between Cat IIIA and IIIB is removed).

5.       A  ‘Low-visibility take-off (LVTO)’ is revised to mean a take-off with an RVR less than 550m;  

(the previous definition was RVR lower than 400m but not less than 75m).

Path2pilot.com

1 Jun 25