AIM Text
- Pilot.
- Advise ATC of your minimum fuel status when your fuel supply has reached a state where, upon reaching destination, you cannot accept any undue delay.
- Be aware this is not an emergency situation, but merely an advisory that indicates an emergency situation is possible should any undue delay occur.
- On initial contact the term “minimum fuel” should be used after stating call sign.
- Be aware a minimum fuel advisory does not imply a need for traffic priority.
- If the remaining usable fuel supply suggests the need for traffic priority to ensure a safe landing, you should declare an emergency due to low fuel and report fuel remaining in minutes.
- Controller.
- When an aircraft declares a state of minimum fuel, relay this information to the facility to whom control jurisdiction is transferred.
- Be alert for any occurrence which might delay the aircraft.
Source: FAA Aeronautical Information Manual · current edition · paragraph 5-5-15.
Research Notes
AIM 5-5-15 covers Communications with Tower When ATC Authorizes Visual Approach — the comm protocol for visual approaches.
The handoff: After Approach Control clears the aircraft for the visual approach, the pilot is handed off to Tower. Tower issues landing clearance after the pilot reports established on the visual approach.
Reporting on visual: "Tower, Cessna Two-Three-Uniform, visual approach runway 27, traffic in sight." The phrase "visual approach" alerts Tower that you're following the IFR-aircraft sequencing in visual conditions.
Reference: AIM 5-5-15; AIM 5-4-17 (Visual Approach).