PLT318: Minimum Fuel Advisory
What code PLT318 covers, why the FAA tests it, and how to study Minimum Fuel Advisory before your checkride.
Recall minimum fuel advisory
What this means for your checkride
Declaring minimum fuel tells ATC you can accept little or no delay before landing; it is an advisory, not an emergency, and does not grant priority. If the remaining usable fuel makes reaching the airport with the required reserve doubtful, you upgrade to declaring an emergency and request priority handling.
Communicating a fuel state clearly can prevent a fuel emergency, so the FAA tests the difference between minimum fuel and an emergency declaration.
Pilots expect priority when they say minimum fuel. It only advises ATC of the situation; if fuel is truly critical you must declare an emergency to get priority.
Where to study it
A code on your test report is an area of deficiency. An authorized instructor must review it with you and endorse that review before you take the practical test, and the examiner may revisit it during the oral. Study it until you can explain it out loud, not just recognize the answer.