I saw this video where F16 declares minimum fuel and needed to meet up with a tanker to land safely. Curious why the fuel situation got so critical and was it mechanical or human error. I would imagine there might be repercussions for this even though he landed safely. I am not a pilot so please excuse my ignorance.
F16 declares minimum fuel
- Thread starter raaizin
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First of all, “minimum fuel” means you can accept no undue delay. Often, ATC has no idea how quickly a fighter uses fuel or how little they have, so that declaration is a a preemptive “give me what I need so I don’t have to declare a fuel emergency.”
Let’s look at the jet. In full AB, that engine uses about 1,000 lbs per minute.
Per minute.
The internal fuel capacity of an F-16 is 6,000-7,000 lbs. so, leaving the chocks, you have 7,000. Takes about 1,000 for takeoff and climb to altitude. You burn about 50 lbs/minute in cruise flight.
A reasonable landing fuel is about 1,000. So, at any given moment, after using fuel taking off and climbing up to altitude, and needing some fuel to get to a landing field, you have between 2 and 4 minutes of fuel if you’re in full AB.
It’s a fighter. The only time you’re not low on fuel is when you’re in the chocks.
Let’s look at the jet. In full AB, that engine uses about 1,000 lbs per minute.
Per minute.
The internal fuel capacity of an F-16 is 6,000-7,000 lbs. so, leaving the chocks, you have 7,000. Takes about 1,000 for takeoff and climb to altitude. You burn about 50 lbs/minute in cruise flight.
A reasonable landing fuel is about 1,000. So, at any given moment, after using fuel taking off and climbing up to altitude, and needing some fuel to get to a landing field, you have between 2 and 4 minutes of fuel if you’re in full AB.
It’s a fighter. The only time you’re not low on fuel is when you’re in the chocks.
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Yup, Anytime it was on the ground and the fuel tanks weren't full there was a red X in the book.
What's the max/ min of that cruse fuel consumption (non AB) carrying a full load under the wings, vs totally empty and clean?
Depends on the altitude, airspeed, drag (as you suggest), weight and air density (temperature and humidity vs. ICAO standard)
I haven’t flown the airplane, but the GE F-110 in the F-14B was the same engine.
3,000#/hour of fuel flow (per engine) was normal. It would give you about 300 knots/.80 Mach in that airframe and you could get a bit lower fuel flow if you were at your best airspeed, best altitude and clean. The F-16 flies best range at a higher Mach number and altitude than the F-14. But best endurance is a different matter.
The F-14 and F/A-18 had very different range numbers but similar endurance burn and speeds, for example.
You could have a LOT higher fuel flow, non AB, if you were flying fast, low, and had a lot of drag and/or weight.
Lowest would be around 2,200#/hour. Highest around 12,000#/hour.
Non AB.
AB. Well, the AB fuel pump could move up to 2,000#/minute. The 1,000# is a general planning number - mid range altitude, normal speed range.
Go lower, or faster, or both, and it takes more fuel/minute.
I was very surprised to read that there would be only 2-4 minutes of fuel in "full AB" (which means "air battle," correct? Or something similar?). I take it, these planes will either shoot any enemy target out of the sky in that time, or themselves be shot down? That doesn't seem to allow much time for a refuel from a tanker. I mean, you'd have to have one almost continually feeding the jet....
Or have I misunderstood you?
Or have I misunderstood you?
AB = Afterburner.
Governed by FAR 91.151. Private Pilots must plan for enough fuel to fly to the point of intended landing, considering wind and weather, and 30 minutes flight time (day), or 45 minutes flight time (night) after that...
This is a case where FAR is really not that relevant.
Look, our SOP for minimum landing fuel, at a field, VFR, was 2,000 lbs.
What's that in minutes?
Is it:
a) 2 trips around the landing pattern, fully configured, or about 15 minutes.
b) 25 minutes of clean holding at best speed.
c) 1 minute in full AB
d) all of the above
Well, of course, it's d. We routinely landed with one minute of fuel, or 25 minutes, or whatever.
The difference in fuel burn in a 172 at best endurance and full power is very small, so that FAR makes sense.
I would declare minimum fuel if I was getting close to 2,000# landing fuel.
I once declared an emergency with Chicago Center. I ultimately landed with 900#. Less than 30 seconds if I were to go AB. Certainly less than 10 minutes normal burn. Center tried to give me a vector off course, to which my RIO asked, "is there something about our 7700 squawk that is unclear?"
Ironically, minutes later, Chicago approach tried to sequence me in behind a C-130 doing a practice approach into NAS Glenview, and I asked, "is that C-130 also an emergency aircraft?" When the controller said, "No", I said, "we have ten minutes of fuel remaining, and you need to get him out of our way."
Controllers are simply not used to how quickly a fighter uses fuel.
"Minimum fuel" is defined in the FAR, yes, but the meaning is very different for a fighter than for a conventional airplane that burns a pretty consistent amount of fuel.
When you are "bingo" you are going to climb at best rate (450 knots, FAR speed limit below 10,000 feet no longer applies) to the appropriate altitude (upper 30s, or higher) cruise at the appropriate mach, and do an idle descent to the field.
We could get from 100 miles out at 3.2 to land at 2.0 by flying the profile. NO turns. No speed restrictions. Straight in approach. Once you get to that fuel, you go, right on the profile, right now.
This guy was "bingo" - he had already committed to the profile. That’s the right thing to do. How he got low on gas doesn’t matter. He was handling it correctly.
And ATC did a GREAT job getting him a tanker vs. him continuing the divert into SYR. Very pro-active and thoughtful.
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One thing for certain, those are not the kind of fuel consumption numbers a civilian aircraft owner could afford. It would melt your credit card. Talk about a fuel cost, wow!!!
AMEX Platinum required… I’ve seen the Sultan of Dubai’s 747 at CVG when he comes in for the thoroughbred auctions at Lexington, KY-the first thing I thought was “good thing he owns his own oilfield”!
The 747-400 that I used to fly holds right around 57,000 gallons.
387,715 pounds was the stated capacity, which works out, at standard density, to about 57,000.
We used to land with 25,000-30,000 lbs. So, a “fill up” would be right around 52,000 gallons.
Airline/bulk price, after the “crack spread” on Jet-A is about $2.30/gallon. An FBO might charge as much as $5.00/gallon.
I’ll pause while you get out the calculator…
The AF goes by gallons. Everyone else goes by pounds. Interesting conversations with my son who worked on F-18's!
Our pilots got a lot of night time air refueling practice in their F-16's going to and from Iraq.
Our pilots got a lot of night time air refueling practice in their F-16's going to and from Iraq.
