Alternate fuel requirements specify a distance of roughly how many nautical miles?

• A. Roughly 250 nm
• B. Roughly 1000 nm
• C. Roughly 50 nm
• D. Roughly 500 nm

Answer: (A)

Alternate fuel is the extra fuel you must have to fly from the destination to a suitable alternate airport, plus reserves, in case landing at the destination isn’t possible. For planning purposes, there’s a standard distance used to estimate how far you might have to divert to an alternate: about 250 nautical miles. This figure provides a practical, consistent basis for calculating the fuel needed to reach an alternate and still carry the required reserves. The other distances listed aren’t the typical planning value for this calculation, so 250 nm is the best answer to reflect how alternate fuel is commonly estimated.