Can you burn reserve fuel when planning a flight?

• A. Yes but cannot plan to
• B. No
• C. Only in emergencies
• D. Yes and you can plan to

Answer: (A)

Reserve fuel is a safety cushion in flight planning. You don’t include it as fuel you expect to burn during the normal leg of the trip, but you may have to burn it if situations arise—such as holding for ATC, weather diversions, or delays—that require you to stay aloft longer than planned. So you can burn reserve fuel when needed, but you cannot plan to burn it as part of the regular fuel burn. That makes the option that states you can burn reserve but cannot plan to burn it the correct one. The other choices misstate how reserve is used: you’re not forbidden to burn it, and it isn’t something you plan to use under all circumstances (it isn’t guaranteed or planned usage).