Aircraft Fuel Calculator
Reserve fuel is not fuel you have.
Work out Aircraft Fuel. Reserve fuel is not fuel you have. Every rate is an input, not an assertion.
Fuel required
111.2 l
28.8 l spare · 95 kt over the ground
Headwind costs more than it looks. A 15 kt headwind on a 110 kt aircraft cuts ground speed by 14% and raises trip fuel by 16%, because the aircraft burns for longer as well as covering less ground. Tailwinds help by proportionally less, which is why an out-and-back into wind always costs. Reserve fuel is not fuel you have. Planning to land on reserves means planning to land with nothing, and fuel exhaustion accidents overwhelmingly involve pilots who were legal on paper right up until they were gliding. Minimum reserves are set by regulation and by rule type, and they are a floor rather than a target. This page takes whatever figure you enter — it does not know your jurisdiction, your rules, or the weather at your destination.
How the Aircraft Fuel Calculator works
Trip, reserve, alternate, contingency and taxi fuel separated out, with endurance and range against both total fuel and what is actually available after reserves.
Also known as: how much fuel for this flight · trip fuel plus reserve · endurance from fuel on board · vfr fuel reserve calculation
Frequently asked questions
How much fuel does a flight need?
Trip fuel plus reserve, alternate, contingency and taxi. Trip fuel is distance divided by ground speed times burn rate — and ground speed, not airspeed, is what counts.
Why does a headwind cost more than it looks?
Because the aircraft burns for longer as well as covering less ground. A 15 kt headwind on a 110 kt aircraft cuts ground speed 14% and raises trip fuel 16%.
Can I plan to land on reserves?
No. Reserve fuel is not fuel you have — planning to land on it means planning to land with nothing. Fuel exhaustion accidents overwhelmingly involve pilots who were legal on paper.
How much reserve is required?
It depends on jurisdiction and rule type — commonly 30 minutes VFR by day and 45 by night, more under IFR. It is a regulatory floor, not a target, and this page takes whatever you enter.
What is contingency fuel?
A percentage of trip fuel covering routing changes, unexpected winds and imprecise burn figures. Commercial operations typically use 5%; private planning often uses more.
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