Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler - A word on flight diversions

Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler | Airline Operations | A word on flight diversions

DVA2887
Senior Captain, A320
OLP, 737-ATP, VFRADV
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Joined on January 30 2006
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Online Eight Century

Charlotte, NC

1,286 legs, 1,796.2 hours
840 legs, 1,047.8 hours online
1,268 legs, 1,774.2 hours ACARS
31 legs, 49.6 hours event
3 legs dispatched, 2.5 hours

Posted onPost created on February 08 2016 21:11 ET by Andrew Vane

I wanted to take a moment to address something that seems to be happening more frequently lately: Flight Diversions. NOTAM 33 addresses what happens when a pilot needs to divert to an airport that was not the original intended destination. See NOTAM 33 for more information. One important aspect is that a pilot who needs to divert must be at least 50% along their original path or further.

From time to time we've all experienced issues be they poor fuel planning (or unanticipated headwinds), FSPassengers failures, or other issues (like a real world crying baby or Honey-Do list reminder). In some cases, it may be wiser to not file a flight report.

I'll give you an example of what happened to me on Saturday evening. I apparently didn't load the fuel in my A321 correctly and ended up looking like I was going to not quite make it from BIS to BIL. Well, no matter what I tried, it was obvious I wasn't going to reach Billings and I wondered what would happen with the Aerosoft A321 with no fuel in the tanks. Well, I found out. I ran out about 30 mi from the airport just before turning on final and got to see a locked up cockpit in action. When I was done having missed something in my fuel loading process back on the ground, I chose to not bother to file a flight report or even divert. There weren't really any airports nearby when I realized I wasn't going to make it. So, I didn't divert (although I probably should have), and didn't file a flight report. I chalked this up to an educational experience and am thankful its a sim and a fun way to learn. Even those of us on staff follow the same rules as the rest of you (I even request my charters from someone else in Ops). The moral of the story is to use your best judgment. I restarted the flight the next day at BIS in the afternoon and completed it to BIL, filing my report after a bumpy approach and landing.

So, we have a method for handling diversions but use your judgement when considering whether to file a diverted flight report or not. This isn't a big deal, just something I felt I'd bring up based on some recent held flight reports where pilots had to divert.

We all on staff are here to serve so feel free to ask any questions and we'll do what we can to help and keep the flight reports moving smoothly. I can tell you we had about 7,000 flight reports in January so we're off to huge start and excited about all the activity at DVA! Awesome showing so far in 2016!

Thanks for your attention.

Andrew Vane (DVA2887)

DVA12568
Assistant Chief Pilot, CRJ-200

Joined on March 20 2015
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DVA Ten-Year Anniversary

Atlanta, GA

769 legs, 1,968.6 hours
704 legs, 1,838.9 hours online
695 legs, 1,825.3 hours ACARS
19 legs, 89.1 hours event

Posted onPost created on February 08 2016 21:26 ET by Christian Samuels

Intresting... I've had a couple of times were i decided to divert because of lack fuel planing (long hauls) . But i always decided not to. Thanks for the info!

P.S. 1 question: What if for instance, you are just about 25% into the flight and realize you wont have enough, is it still ok to divert and file your FP? Or if You have a error (ex.unplanned engine failure), is it still ok to file it then? Thanks for everything you do for DVA!

Christian Samuels (DVA12568)

Posted onPost created on February 08 2016 21:38 ET by Andrew Vane

Well, its up to the you but if you haven't flown at least 50% of the flight, i would not recommend submitting a flight report. Knowing the halfway guideline, I would recommend you fly as far as you can beyond 50% and then divert and request from Ops to complete your flight to the original filed destination. If you have an unplanned engine failure near the origin airport, there is often a checklist that recommends returning to the airport you departed from if close enough. We'll look at each diversion as they occur and evaluate.

Andrew Vane (DVA2887)

DVA12719
Senior Captain, DC-8-61
OLP

Joined on July 26 2015
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"Let the FO land"
Boca Raton, FL

153 legs, 258.9 hours
32 legs, 43.1 hours online
145 legs, 252.0 hours ACARS
16 legs, 23.9 hours event
12 legs dispatched, 16.4 hours

Posted onPost created on February 08 2016 23:16 ET by Yisrael Wealcatch

Good to know. Thanks sir

Yisrael Wealcatch (DVA12719)

DVA9111
Captain, B757-200

Joined on June 28 2008
Online Century Club
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Tilburg, Noord-Brabant Netherlands

1,457 legs, 5,123.7 hours
112 legs, 490.7 hours online
1,434 legs, 5,052.4 hours ACARS
1,582 legs, 5,720.7 hours total

Posted onPost created on February 09 2016 00:44 ET by Marc Ter Heide

[offtopic]
The Aerosoft Airbus has an unlimited fuel mode, you just have to switch off the fuel pumps. I don't know whether this was intended or whether is a glitch, but it worked for me on the A318 a few weeks ago wink

[/offtopic]

Marc Ter Heide

Captain, B757-200

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