Fuel-management procedures are entwined into every aspect of flight, from planning to a periodic scan of the gauges while you’re zipping along at cruise. But even the best-laid plans can easily fall victim to diversion, delays and even overly-optimistic thinking.
A pilot running short on fuel can advise ATC of two fuel different states: minimum fuel and emergency fuel. What few pilots understand is what those terms actually mean in the mind of a controller.
