Compute Mission Completion Fuels (MCF)

T-6A NAVIGATION

CHAPTER FOUR

Solution:

It takes 4 minutes, 9 NM, and 40 pounds (37 rounded to 40) of fuel to climb up to 9000

feet.

From this information, you know you have 70 NM of cruise distance left after level off.

(79 - 9 = 70).

Using your NATOPS charts to compute cruise data, you can expect to fly the remaining

70 NM at 240 KTAS with a 450 pounds per hour fuel flow.

Using the CR-2, you compute approximately 17 minutes and 30 seconds of cruise time and

about 135 pounds of fuel. For actual flights, be sure to include wind in the enroute portion.

Subtracting both the cruise and climb fuels from the EFR at the last low-level point, you

have the EFR at the IAF:

480 (EFR at last point of low-level route)

-175 (40 pounds Climb fuel + 130 pounds Cruise fuel)

305 (EFR at the IAF)

407.

COMPUTE MISSION COMPLETION FUELS (MCF)

In the previous example, there should be 305 pounds of fuel remaining when you return to the

IAF, if the mission is flown exactly as planned. Unfortunately, often the mission does not go as

planned! Weather delays, aircraft maintenance, and the air traffic control system in general can

cause delays that result in arriving at the low-level entry point with less fuel than planned. Can

you still complete the route? Exactly how much fuel do you need to fly the remainder of the

mission as planned?

Mission completion fuel is the amount of fuel required at a point to continue the mission as

planned and arrive over the IAF with a minimum amount of fuel allowed by command directives

(OPNAVINST 3710.7R and VT-4/10 Squadron SOP). For the T-6A, command directives state

missions will arrive at the IAF with 200 pounds of fuel plus 50 pounds for each approach

planned. For T-6A VNAV flights, expect two approaches, so the total fuel required is:

200 + (50+50) = 300 pounds

The computed EFR is 305 pounds at the IAF. By command directives, this is 5 pounds more fuel

than we are required to have (305 - 300). At any point in the low-level route, you could have an

actual fuel remaining of 5 pounds less than planned, yet still safely complete the mission in

accordance with command directives. MCF for any point on the low-level route is then:

FUEL PLANNING, JET LOGS, DD 175

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