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From: "Matt Hapgood" <hapgoodm94@alum.darden.edu>
Walter,
You said that "[you] think that a good pilot always knows how much fuel he has."
I respectfully disagree and I think YOU are on the slippery slope. I think a that a good pilot realizes that he DOESN'T know how much fuel he has, that he MAY have less than he thinks, and therefore plans conservatively.
.
.
Matt,
After 7 years and 1,000 hours of flying my plane, I know how accurate my gauges, sight glasses and flow meter are. I have 43 gallons of fuel. I have flown several flights of over 1,000 NM and over 5 hours.
I initially plan my long range flights with full fuel that is enough to be within FAA regulations for the type of flight that I am making. Day VFR - 30 minutes (I use 45); Night VFR - 45 minutes; IFR - to alternate, if needed, at normal cruse and then 45 minutes.
Flight planning, for all of us, should continue throughout the flight because of changing wind and weather conditions. If there is more headwind than expected, I will slow the plane down (lower the RPM, lean and if necessary, throttle back) until the GPS and Fuel Flow show that at least 45 minutes of fuel will be remaining at the end of the flight. Within the last 45 minutes to 1 hour of the flight, I may increase the fuel flow (Speed) if the wing tanks have emptied at the expected time and the weather at the destination looks reasonable.
Our planes fly very well at 140 KTS indicated rather than 170. Yes, we are then slightly slower but we can get quite a bit further.
--
Lorn H. 'Feathers' Olsen, MAA, DynaComm, Corp.
248-345-0500, mailto:lorn@dynacomm.ws
LNC2, O-320-D1F, 1,000 hrs, N31161, Y47, SE Michigan
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