Pilots Forced to make Emergency Landings

Pilots have had to make 28 emergency landings so far this year because they were running low on fuel according to figures compiled by the Civil Aviation Authority. The incidents led to the aircraft being given landing priority by airports over other flights were often triggered by planes facing difficulties after having been diverted because of bad weather.

A number of airlines have been involved including Virgin Atlantic when two jumbo-jets sought priority landing at Stansted in January and last month Ryanair was forced to seek an emergency landing for three of its aircraft in Spain.

Although the total represents of fuel-related emergency landings is a reduction on 2008-10, when there were 41 such incidents, some pilots have warned the airlines are operating on very narrow margins as they seek to cut operating costs.

Legally pilots entering British airspace must not only carry enough fuel to complete their journey, but also a reserve which would allow them to reach an alternative airport with enough in hand to allow for 30 minutes circling before being permitted to land.

On top of that there must be a contingency reserve supply to cope with headwinds which can lead to more fuel being consumed.

Once they have less than 30 minutes flying time left, pilots have to seek an emergency landing.

There are two classifications of emergency landing. A “PAN” – standing for Procedure for Air Navigation Service – is a request for priority over other aircraft.

More serious is a Mayday, where fire and rescue will have to be put on alert.

In January two Virgin Atlantic flights, which had been diverted to Stansted because of bad weather, sought a PAN priority landing. According to CAA records this was because of a “fuel shortage”.

A Virgin spokesman said: Following standard procedures a PAN alert was issued to give priority landing. Our fuel management procedures are approved by the CAA and comply with all industry regulations.

“We plan our fuel loading on a number of factors, we carry more than regulatory minimums and load extra fuel for anticipated factors such as weather.”

On landing both aircraft, whose pilots had believed they were about to start using their reserve supplies, were found to have over the legal minimum fuel requirement in their tanks.

The Virgin planes were among 18 diverted to Stansted because of the weather, one other short haul operator also declared a Mayday because of a fuel shortage.

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For a large number of passengers who are already nervous flyers a story such as this would probably make them not fly. I personally do not understand why airlines are getting away with this! Pilots and their air staff have all passengers lives in their hands from the moment they take off, to the moment the passengers steps off the plane. No airlines should have to ask for a PAN or a Mayday. I understand that airlines are trying to save money by not carrying enough fuel but surely the reputation of both Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic would have now been damaged? I believe all airlines need to have a better look at the data they are receiving to see how much fuel is used on each flight, and turning this into knowledge so that a certain figure is created, so that the information gained can be looked into, so that an emergency landing does not have to be used again.