If an alternate is not required, what is included in the minimum fuel amount?

• A. 200 lb ALTN fuel. For go around and climb to 1500
• B. 0 extra fuel
• C. 500 lb of ballast
• D. 200 lb extra fuel for taxi

Answer: (A)

When planning minimum fuel, you still have to be prepared for a go-around and the missed-approach climb, even if you’re not required to file an alternate airport. The 200 pounds labeled ALTN fuel represents a small contingency set aside specifically to cover that missed-approach scenario and the climb to 1500 feet. This keeps the aircraft from running out of fuel if the approach must be aborted and you need to execute the missed approach safely.

That’s why this option is the best: it explicitly accounts for the extra fuel needed to perform a go-around and climb, which is a standard contingency in minimum fuel calculations. The other choices don’t provide for that in-flight contingency: zero extra fuel would leave you without a safety margin during a go-around, the ballast option isn’t relevant to fuel planning, and extra fuel for taxi is preflight and not part of the in-flight minimum fuel calculation.