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Calcimator

IFR Fuel Planning Calculator

Fuel requirements with alternate airport and reserve calculations per FAR 91.167.

Inputs

%

Results

Total fuel required (gal)

36.1

Enroute fuel (gal)20.8
Enroute time (min)125
Alternate fuel (gal)4.5
Reserve fuel (gal)7.5
Contingency fuel (gal)1.7
Fuel margin (gal)19.9
Max endurance (hrs)5.6
Fuel cost ($)$234.64
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter distance to destination (NM), groundspeed (kts), and fuel burn (GPH) for the enroute segment.
  2. Set distance to your filed alternate (NM) and alternate segment groundspeed.
  3. Enter FAR-required reserve time (45 minutes for IFR Part 91) in minutes.
  4. Review total fuel required, enroute fuel, alternate fuel, reserve fuel, and a contingency buffer.
  5. Verify your fuel-on-board before departure exceeds the total required by a comfortable margin.

How the result changes with Fuel burn (GPH)

Fuel burn (GPH)Total fuel required (gal)
50174.2
175605.7
3251,123.6
4501,555.1

What each input means

Distance to destination (NM)
Great-circle or airway distance to the destination airport.
Groundspeed (kts)
Expected groundspeed (TAS adjusted for wind).
Fuel burn (GPH)
Cruise fuel consumption in gallons per hour.
Distance to alternate (NM)
Distance from destination to the alternate airport.
Alternate groundspeed (kts)
Expected groundspeed on the alternate leg.
Reserve time (min)
Minimum reserve fuel time (FAR 91.167 requires 45 min).
Taxi fuel (gal)
Fuel for taxi, run-up, and ground operations.
Contingency (%)
Extra contingency percentage for weather, routing, etc.
Usable fuel capacity (gal)
Total usable fuel capacity of the aircraft.
Fuel price ($/gal)
Price per gallon of avgas or Jet-A.

What each result means

Total fuel required (gal)
Total fuel needed including enroute, alternate, reserve, taxi, and contingency.
Enroute fuel (gal)
Fuel for the trip to the destination.
Enroute time (min)
Flight time to destination.
Alternate fuel (gal)
Fuel to fly from destination to alternate.
Reserve fuel (gal)
Fuel for the required reserve time.
Contingency fuel (gal)
Extra fuel for contingency percentage.
Fuel margin (gal)
Capacity minus required. Negative = insufficient.
Max endurance (hrs)
Total endurance at cruise burn rate with full tanks.
Fuel cost ($)
Estimated fuel cost for the trip.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Distance to destination (NM) = 250, Groundspeed (kts) = 120, Fuel burn (GPH) = 10, Distance to alternate (NM) = 50 = 10 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Total fuel required
    Total fuel required = subtotal + contingencyFuel
    36.1 = 36.1
  3. Calculate Enroute fuel
    Enroute fuel = enrouteTimeHrs * fuelBurnGph
    20.8 = 20.8
  4. Calculate Enroute time
    Enroute time = distanceToDestNm / groundspeedKts
    125 = 125

Engine last updated . Checked against 3 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators.

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