Flight fuel planning calculator
Fuel planning is trip fuel plus everything you are required to still have when you land. The reserves are not optional.
nm
kt
L/h
minutes
%
minutes
Fuel required
121.4L
- Fits in the tanks
- 1
- Trip fuel
- 72.7
- Final reserve
- 24.0
- Alternate fuel
- 16.0
- Fuel left in the tanks
- 38.6
- Trip time
- 2:16:22
- Endurance to reserves
- 4.09 hours
- Range to reserves
- 450 nm
- Fuel weight
- 87.4
Show the working
- Trip distance = 250
- Ground speed = 110
- Fuel burn = 32
- Taxi and run-up = 5
- Final reserve = 45
- Contingency = 5
- Fuel to the alternate = 30
- Usable fuel capacity = 160
- trip_hours = 250 / 110 = 2.272 73
- Trip fuel = 2.272 73 * 32 = 72.7273
- contingency_fuel = 72.7273 * 5/100 = 3.636 36
- Alternate fuel = 30/60 * 32 = 16
- Final reserve = 45/60 * 32 = 24
- Fuel required = 5 + 72.7273 + 3.636 36 + 16 + 24 = 121.364
- Fuel left in the tanks = 160 - 121.364 = 38.6364
- Fits in the tanks = 121.364 <= 160 ? 1 : 0 = 1
- Endurance to reserves = 32 > 0 ? (160 - 5 - 24) / 32 : 0 = 4.093 75
- Range to reserves = 4.093 75 * 110 = 450.313
- Trip time = 2.272 73 * 3600 = 8181.82
- Fuel weight = 121.364 * 0.72 = 87.3818
Values are shown to six significant figures here; the arithmetic itself runs on exact fractions and is only rounded where a number is printed.
Scenarios & local history
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The formula
- total = taxi + trip + contingency + alternate + final reserve
Reserve requirements are set by regulation and vary by rule set and by whether the flight is VFR or IFR.
Fuel gauges in light aircraft are notoriously unreliable. Dip the tanks.
This is a planning and study tool. Use certified charts, an approved flight manual and official publications for anything operational.