What fuel flow rate should I enter?

Use the approved POH/AFM data for the actual aircraft, power setting, altitude, mixture and phase of flight. A single cruise-flow estimate does not automatically include taxi, climb, descent, contingency, diversion, unusable fuel or operational margins.

How much fuel reserve should I plan?

Under 14 CFR 91.151, VFR airplanes need fuel to the first point of intended landing plus 30 minutes at normal cruising speed by day or 45 minutes at night; rotorcraft need 20 minutes. Under 91.167, IFR flights need fuel to the destination, then to the alternate when one is required, then 45 minutes at normal cruising speed (30 minutes for helicopters). Rules vary by operation and jurisdiction; this calculator does not determine compliance or calculate an alternate leg.

How far can a plane fly on 10 gallons of fuel?

Divide usable fuel by fuel flow for endurance, then multiply by groundspeed. At 8 gal/h and 100 kt, 10 gallons lasts 1.25 hours, or 125 NM with nothing left. Holding back a 30-minute reserve (4 gallons) leaves 0.75 hours, or 75 NM. The calculator shows the matching NM per gallon after you run a trip.

Does this calculator account for wind?

Yes, through the wind triangle card. Enter true airspeed, true course and the forecast wind (the direction it blows from, in degrees true, and its speed), then press Use groundspeed. A headwind lowers groundspeed and increases time and fuel for a given distance; a tailwind does the opposite.

What is the difference between trip fuel and total fuel?

Trip fuel is the fuel burned from takeoff to landing at your destination, based on flight time at the given flow rate. Total fuel includes the trip fuel plus your planned reserve. Always ensure your aircraft's usable fuel capacity meets or exceeds the total fuel figure before departure.

Can I use this for turbine or jet aircraft?

Yes. Select Jet-A and set the flow unit to lb/h (PPH), or kg/h in metric mode. Weight flow is converted to volume at 6.7 lb/US gal (0.803 kg/L), so 670 PPH = 100 gal/h. Turbine fuel flow changes a lot with altitude and weight, so use the AFM or FMS figure for each phase.

How much fuel does a Cessna 172 burn per hour?

A Cessna 172S burns roughly 8 to 9 US gal/h at about 75% power in cruise, which is 48 to 54 lb of avgas per hour. Leaned at altitude or at 55 to 65% power it is closer to 6.5 to 7.5 gal/h. Use the POH cruise table for your altitude and temperature, and add taxi and climb fuel.

How do I work out groundspeed from the wind?

Use the wind triangle. With wind angle δ = wind direction − true course, the wind correction angle is asin(wind speed × sin δ ÷ TAS) and groundspeed = TAS × cos(WCA) − wind speed × cos δ. Example: TAS 124 kt, course 090°, wind 060° at 20 kt gives a WCA of −4.6°, a true heading of 085° and a groundspeed of 106 kt.

What is the difference between endurance and range?

Endurance is how long the fuel lasts: usable fuel ÷ fuel flow. Range is how far that takes you: endurance × groundspeed. With 40 usable gallons at 8.5 gal/h, endurance is 4 h 42 min; at 106 kt that is about 499 NM to dry tanks, or 419 NM if you keep a 45-minute reserve.

How much do avgas and jet fuel weigh?

Standard planning weights are 6.0 lb per US gallon for 100LL avgas (0.72 kg/L) and 6.7 lb per US gallon for Jet-A (0.80 kg/L). Real density falls as fuel warms, so use the specific gravity on the fuel slip when the weight margin is tight.

Why does fuel burn differ from the POH range chart?

POH range charts typically assume ISA conditions, a specific power setting, and no wind. Real-world fuel burn varies with density altitude, engine wear, carburetor heat usage, and actual wind. Carry a reasonable buffer above the book figures, especially for long flights or unfamiliar aircraft.

Fuel Burn Calculator

Enter distance, planned groundspeed, and fuel flow to estimate trip fuel, reserve fuel, weight, cost, and usable-fuel margin.

Trip fuel = distance ÷ groundspeed × fuel flow, and reserve fuel = reserve minutes ÷ 60 × fuel flow.

Flight Parameters

Units:

Aircraft preset (optional)

Fills fuel flow, usable fuel and TAS (wind card) with approximate 75%-power figures. Replace them with your POH values.

Distance (nautical miles)

Planned Groundspeed (knots)

Fuel Flow Rate (volume or weight per hour)

Fuel type (weight estimate)

Planning constants only; actual density varies with grade and temperature.

Fuel Reserve (minutes, optional)

Taxi, run-up & climb allowance (gallons, optional)

Usable Fuel (gallons, optional)

Fuel Price (per gallon, USD)

Groundspeed from wind (wind triangle)

Wind direction is where it blows from, in degrees true. Speeds in knots.

True airspeed

True course (°)

Wind from (°)

Wind speed

Groundspeed--

Wind correction angle--

True heading--

Head / crosswind--

Fill in the flight parameters on the left and press Calculate.

Formula and planning scope

time = distance ÷ groundspeed; trip fuel = time × flow; reserve fuel = reserve minutes ÷ 60 × flow. Total fuel here is trip plus selected reserve. It does not automatically include taxi, run-up, climb, descent, an IFR alternate leg, contingency, unusable fuel, or operator-specific requirements.

Use current approved POH/AFM performance data and an approved planning method. Never use this estimate as the sole basis for dispatch or fuel loading.

U.S. references and privacy

14 CFR § 91.151 describes VFR fuel requirements. 14 CFR § 91.167 describes IFR fuel requirements. Check the current rules for your aircraft, operation and jurisdiction.

Privacy: calculations run locally in your browser. Values entered here are not uploaded or stored by this tool.

Minimum fuel reserves (14 CFR Part 91)

Flight	Fuel required beyond the destination	Rule
VFR airplane, day	30 min at normal cruising speed	§ 91.151(a)(1)
VFR airplane, night	45 min at normal cruising speed	§ 91.151(a)(2)
VFR rotorcraft	20 min at normal cruising speed	§ 91.151(b)
IFR airplane	Destination, then the alternate if one is required, then 45 min at normal cruise	§ 91.167(a)
IFR helicopter	Destination, then the alternate if required, then 30 min at normal cruise	§ 91.167(a)(3)

These are legal minimums for Part 91. Part 135 and 121 operators and other countries have their own rules, and many pilots plan a personal minimum of one hour.

Typical cruise fuel burn by aircraft

Aircraft	gal/h	lb/h	KTAS	NM/gal
Cessna 152	6.1	37	107	17.5
Cessna 172S Skyhawk	8.5	51	124	14.6
Piper PA-28-181 Archer	10.0	60	128	12.8
Cessna 182T Skylane	14.0	84	145	10.4
Cirrus SR22	17.5	105	183	10.5

Approximate 75%-power cruise, avgas at 6.0 lb/gal, no wind. Fuel flow and speed vary with altitude, temperature, mixture and model year; the POH/AFM figure governs.

Fuel weight by volume

US gal	Liters	Avgas lb	Jet-A lb
1	3.8	6.0	6.7
5	18.9	30.0	33.5
10	37.9	60.0	67.0
20	75.7	120.0	134.0
30	113.6	180.0	201.0
40	151.4	240.0	268.0
50	189.3	300.0	335.0
100	378.5	600.0	670.0

Planning densities: 100LL avgas 6.0 lb/US gal (0.719 kg/L), Jet-A 6.7 lb/US gal (0.803 kg/L).

Worked example: Cessna 172 cross-country

Wind triangle: TAS 124 kt, true course 090°, wind 060° at 20 kt. WCA = asin(20 × sin(−30°) ÷ 124) = −4.6°, true heading 085°, groundspeed = 124 × cos 4.6° − 20 × cos 30° = 106 kt.
Time: 250 NM ÷ 106 kt = 2.36 h = 2 h 22 min.
Trip fuel: 2.36 h × 8.5 gal/h = 20.05 gal. Add 1.4 gal for taxi and run-up and a 45-minute night reserve of 6.38 gal: 27.82 gal (166.9 lb of avgas).
With 53 gal usable you land with 31.55 gal. Endurance after the taxi allowance is (53 − 1.4) ÷ 8.5 = 6 h 04 min, so still-air range at 106 kt is about 643 NM to dry tanks, or 564 NM keeping the 45-minute reserve.

Quick answer

Trip fuel = distance ÷ groundspeed × fuel flow, and reserve fuel = reserve minutes ÷ 60 × fuel flow. Use groundspeed (true airspeed corrected for wind) and the POH/AFM fuel flow for your power setting.

Example: A 300 NM leg at 110 kt groundspeed and an example 8.5 gal/h takes 2h 44m and burns 23.18 gal, and a 45-minute reserve adds 6.38 gal for 29.56 gal total, about 177.3 lb of avgas.

Enter your distance, groundspeed, fuel flow and usable fuel to see trip fuel, cost and estimated landing fuel.

Summary

The Aircraft Fuel Burn Calculator estimates en-route time, trip fuel, reserve fuel, fuel weight, cost, and usable-fuel margin. Use forecast groundspeed and fuel flow from the approved POH/AFM for the applicable phase and conditions. This is a basic planning cross-check, not an approved flight-planning system. All calculations run locally in your browser.

How it works

Optionally pick an aircraft preset to load an approximate cruise fuel flow and true airspeed, then replace them with your POH/AFM figures.
Enter the total distance in nautical miles (or kilometers in metric mode).
Enter groundspeed, or use the wind triangle card: true airspeed, true course and the forecast wind give groundspeed, wind correction angle and true heading.
Enter fuel flow in gal/h or lb/h (PPH); weight flow is converted at 6.0 lb/gal for avgas or 6.7 lb/gal for Jet-A.
Add reserve minutes (the 30- and 45-minute buttons are quick inputs, not a ruling on which rule applies) and any taxi, run-up and climb allowance.
Enter usable fuel to see landing fuel, endurance and still-air range at your groundspeed, with and without the reserve.

Use cases

Estimate fuel cost before booking a cross-country VFR flight.
Verify fuel load is sufficient for the route plus required reserves.
Compare fuel burn across different cruising speeds for the same route.
Plan fuel stops for long cross-country flights in light piston aircraft.
Quickly calculate flight time from distance and airspeed during preflight planning.
Budget fuel costs for flight training hours or rental aircraft.
Cross-check fuel burn against the POH range chart for a given power setting.
Teach student pilots the relationship between airspeed, distance, and fuel consumption.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-10-09 · Reviewed by Nham Vu