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NCC.OP.131 Fuel/energy scheme - fuel/energy planning and in flight re-planning policy - aeroplanes and helicopters

Available versions for ERULES-1963177438-13270

Regulation (EU) 2021/1296 found in: Air Operations (965/2012) Part-ARO Part-ORO Part-CAT Part-SPA Part-NCC Part-NCO Part-SPO (Feb 2025)

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NCC.OP.131 Fuel/energy scheme – fuel/energy planning and in flight re-planning policy – aeroplanes and helicopters

Regulation (EU) 2021/1296

(a) As part of the fuel/energy scheme, the operator shall establish a fuel/energy planning and in‑flight re-planning policy to ensure that the aircraft carries a sufficient amount of usable fuel/energy to safely complete the planned flight and to allow for deviations from the planned operation.

(b) The operator shall ensure that the fuel/energy planning of flights is based upon at least the following elements:

(1) procedures contained in the operations manual as well as:

(i) current aircraft-specific data derived from a fuel/energy consumption monitoring system, or, if not available;

(ii) data provided by the aircraft manufacturer; and

(2) the operating conditions under which the flight is to be conducted including:

(i) aircraft fuel/energy consumption data;

(ii) anticipated masses;

(iii) anticipated meteorological conditions;

(iv) the effects of deferred maintenance items or configuration deviations, or both; and

(v) anticipated delays.

(c) For aeroplanes, the operator shall ensure that the pre-flight calculation of the usable fuel/energy that is required for a flight includes:

(1) taxi fuel/energy that shall not be less than the amount expected to be used prior to take‑off;

(2) trip fuel/energy that shall be the amount of fuel/energy that is required to enable the aeroplane to fly from take-off, or from the point of in-flight re-planning, to landing at the destination aerodrome;

(3) contingency fuel/energy that shall be the amount of fuel/energy required to compensate for unforeseen factors;

(4) destination alternate fuel/energy:

(i) when a flight is operated with at least one destination alternate aerodrome, it shall be the amount of fuel/energy required to fly from the destination aerodrome to the destination alternate aerodrome; or

(ii) when a flight is operated with no destination alternate aerodrome, it shall be the amount of fuel/energy required to hold at the destination aerodrome to compensate for the lack of a destination alternate aerodrome;

(5) final reserve fuel/energy that shall be the amount of fuel/energy that is calculated at holding speed at 1 500ft (450 m) above the aerodrome elevation in standard conditions according to the aircraft estimated mass on arrival at the destination alternate aerodrome, or destination aerodrome when no destination alternate aerodrome is required, and shall not be less than:

(i) for aeroplanes with reciprocating engines on visual flight rules (VFR) flights by night and instrument flight rules (IFR) flights, the fuel/energy to fly for 45 minutes; or

(ii) for aeroplanes with reciprocating engines on VFR flights by day, the fuel/energy to fly for 30 minutes;

(iii) for turbine-engined aeroplanes, the fuel/energy to fly for 30 minutes;

(6) additional fuel/energy, if required by the type of operation; it shall be the amount of fuel/energy to enable the aeroplane to perform a safe landing at a fuel/energy en route alternate aerodrome (fuel/energy ERA aerodrome critical scenario) in the event of an engine failure or loss of pressurisation, whichever requires the greater amount of fuel/energy, based on the assumption that such a failure occurs at the most critical point along the route; this additional fuel/energy is required only if the minimum amount of fuel/energy that is calculated according to points (c)(2) to (c)(5) is not sufficient for such an event;

(7) extra fuel/energy to take into account anticipated delays or specific operational constraints; and

(8) discretionary fuel/energy, if required by the commander.

(d) For helicopters, the operator shall ensure that the pre-flight calculation of the usable fuel/energy that is required for a flight includes all of the following:

(1) fuel/energy to fly to the aerodrome or operating site of intended landing;

(2) if a destination alternate is required, destination alternate fuel/energy, which shall be the amount of fuel/energy that is required to execute a missed approach at the aerodrome or operating site of intended landing, and thereafter, to fly to the specified destination alternate, approach and land; and

(3) final reserve fuel/energy, which shall not be less than:

(i) for flights under VFR, fuel/energy to fly for at least 20 minutes at best-range speed; or

(ii) for IFR flights, fuel/energy to fly for at least 30 minutes at holding speed at 450 m (1 500 ft) above the aerodrome or operating site of intended landing or destination alternate in standard temperature conditions.

(e) The operator shall ensure that if a flight has to proceed to a destination aerodrome other than the one originally planned, in-flight re-planning procedures for calculating the required usable fuel/energy are available and comply with points (c)(2) to (c)(7) for aeroplanes, and point (d) for helicopters.

(f) The pilot in command shall only commence a flight or continue in the event of in-flight re‑planning, when satisfied that the aircraft carries at least the planned amount of usable fuel/energy and oil to safely complete the flight.