RegulationsFuel Management
Final Reserve Fuel
Final reserve fuel is the calculated amount of fuel required to fly an aircraft at 1,500 ft above aerodrome elevation in ISA conditions for a specified period at the end of a flight. For small aeroplanes under 5,700 kg flying VFR by day, this is 30 minutes, whereas for VFR by night or IFR, it is 45 minutes.
Key Points
- •Final reserve fuel must not be used for anything other than an emergency; declaring 'MAYDAY FUEL' is required if landing with less than final reserve is imminent.
- •For day VFR in aeroplanes under 5,700 kg, the final reserve requirement is 30 minutes.
- •For night VFR and IFR in aeroplanes under 5,700 kg, the final reserve requirement is 45 minutes.
Exam Relevance
Calculating and maintaining the correct final reserve fuel is a critical legal and safety requirement for cross-country flight planning in the PPL exam.
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