⛽ Calculation of fuel for a long-haul flight

📊 Fuel components

Fuel is divided into several parts:

1. Trip Fuel 🛣️

Main fuel for the route

From takeoff to landing

2. Taxi Fuel 🚕

For launch and taxiing

Typically 0.5-1.0 tons

3. Contingency Fuel 🎯

Contingency reserve

Standard: 5% of Trip Fuel

4. Alternate Fuel 🏥

To the alternate airfield

If the main one is closed

5. Final Reserve 🆘

Emergency stock

30 minutes flight

NEVER touch!

6. Extra Fuel ➕

Additional (optional)

For bad weather, traffic jams

🛣️ 1. Trip Fuel - route

What affects:

💨 Wind (tailwind/headwind)

⬆️ Flight level

⚖️ Aircraft weight

🌡️ Air temperature

Example for Boeing 777-200ER:

📍 UUEE → OMDB (Moscow → Dubai)

📏 Distance: 2,436 NM

⏱️ Time: 5 hours 20 minutes

⛽ Trip Fuel: ~38-42 tons

🌬️ Depends on the wind!

As SimBrief believes:

✈️ Selects the optimal route

🌬️ Analyzes winds at all levels

📊 Uses aircraft fuel consumption data

🎯 Gives the exact number

💡 Tip: Tailwind = less fuel! 🌬️✈️

🚕 2. Taxi Fuel - for taxiing

How much to take:

✈️ Boeing 777: ~0.5-0.8 tons

🏢 Large airport: +0.2 tons

🚦 Rush hour: +0.3 tons

Examples:

📍 Sheremetyevo: 0.6t

📍 Dubai: 0.5t

📍 Heathrow (traffic jams!): 0.8t

💡 SimBrief automatically adds taxi fuel!

🎯 3. Contingency - reserve

Rule:

⛽ 5% of Trip Fuel (minimum)

Example:

Trip Fuel: 40.0t

Contingency: 40.0 × 0.05 = 2.0t

When to take more:

⛈️ Bad weather along the route

🌬️ Strong headwind

❄️Icing

🗺️ Unfamiliar route

💡 You can take 10% instead of 5% to be safe!

🏥 4. Alternate Fuel - to spare

What is it:

Fuel from main airport to alternate airport + approach

How is it considered:

📍 From OMDB (Dubai) to OOMS (Muscat) = ~200 NM

⛽ Consumption: ~3.5 tons

🛬 Approach + circle: +0.5 tons

Total: 4.0 tons

When not needed:

☀️ CAVOK at the main airfield

📍 The airport is huge (no spare required)

💡 SimBrief chooses the best alternate!

🆘 5. Final Reserve - sacred fuel

ICAO Rule:

⏱️ 30 minutes flight at holding level (1,500 feet)

For Boeing 777:

⛽ ~4.5-5.0 tons

IMPORTANT! 🚨

❌ This fuel CANNOT be used!

⚠️ If you touch it, you declare an emergency

📞 If you plan to use it, inform the dispatcher

🆘 Final Reserve = "to reach the ground"

💡 This is your insurance in case of everything!

➕ 6. Extra Fuel - additional

The captain can get fuel:

⛈️ Thunderstorms along the route

🏢 Traffic jams at the arrival airport (waiting)

🌀 Turbulence (increases flow)

🌬️Inaccurate wind forecast

💰 Refueling at the end point is expensive

Example:

Typically: 52.4t

The captain got: +2.0t

Total: 54.4t

💡 Balance: safety vs weight vs economy

🧮 Practical calculation

Route: UUEE (Moscow) → OMDB (Dubai)

Aircraft: Boeing 777-200ER

📊 We count:

Trip Fuel: 40.0t 🛣️

Taxi: 0.6t 🚕

Contingency (5%): 2.0t 🎯

Alternate (OMDB→OOMS): 4.0t 🏥

Final Reserve: 5.0t 🆘

Extra: 0.8t ➕

TOTAL: 52.4 tons ⛽

✈️ Enter into FMC

Step 1: INIT REF → FUEL

ZFW: 185.0 (Zero Fuel Weight)

FUEL: 52.4 (fuel in tons)

Step 2: Check

GW (Gross Weight) = 237.4t

MTOW for 777-200ER = 247.2t

✅ Within normal limits!

💡 If it’s overloaded, reduce the load or passengers!

📈 In-flight monitoring

During the flight, keep an eye on:

🎯 Checkpoints

FMC shows predicted fuel at each waypoint

Compare with SimBrief plan

⚠️ If the consumption is higher:

📞 Notify the dispatcher

🌬️ Request another echelon

🏥 Consider early alternate

✅ If consumption is less:

🎉 Great! A tailwind helped

💰 Fuel economy

PROG Page in FMC:

----- AT OMDB -----

PREDICTED: 8.5T

REQUIRED: 8.0T

RESERVE: +0.5T ✅

🛠️ SimBrief is your assistant

What it does:

🌬️ Loads current winds

📊 Calculates the optimal flight level

⛽ Calculates all fuel components

📄 Produces a beautiful PDF with details

Where to watch in SimBrief:

📄 OFP (Operational Flight Plan)

FUEL PLAN section

Everything is divided into categories!

💡 Just follow SimBrief - it's got it all figured out!

🎯 Examples for different flights

Short (UUEE → USSS, 1h 30min):

Trip: 8.0t

Taxi: 0.5t

Contingency: 0.4t

Alternate: 1.5t

Reserve: 2.0t

TOTAL: 12.4t ⛽

Medium (UUEE → LEMD, 5h):

Trip: 35.0t

Taxi: 0.6t

Contingency: 1.8t

Alternate: 3.5t

Reserve: 4.5t

TOTAL: 45.4t ⛽

Far (UUEE → KJFK, 10h):

Trip: 85.0t

Taxi: 0.8t

Contingency: 4.3t

Alternate: 6.0t

Reserve: 5.5t

TOTAL: 101.6t ⛽

💡 Saving procedures

If fuel is low during flight:

🌬️ Ask for the optimal flight

FMC will show OPT FL

Can save 2-3%

🐌 Slow down

Cost Index 0 = maximum savings

You fly longer, but you burn less

✈️ Shortcut (straight)

Ask the dispatcher for Direct

You cut the distance

🚫 Avoid waiting

If fuel is low, announce Minimum Fuel

The dispatcher will give priority

📚 Useful resources

🌐 SimBrief - the best calculator

📊 Winds Aloft - current winds

✈️ Built-in calculator in FlightFactor 777

📖 FCOM (Flight Crew Operating Manual) - consumption tables