Maybe our training should be broken into two sections also.  Aircraft check out/cross-country training.

Charlie,

 

I couldn't agree more.  Pete's High Performance Ground school does spend some good time on x-country planning and execution.  Note that some of us are destined to fly in the weather rather than above it.

 

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The article states that "high-performance singles typically get more than two nautical miles per pound of fuel even at high speed cruise".

The Continental powered Lancair IV P is 25% better than that figure.

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Now then, as to performance. I conservatively get 180 Kts at 10 gal/hour and that computes to 3NM per pound!  I have also trued out at about 185 Kts running LOP at 7.5 gph (8500') for a whopping 4.1 NM per Lb (I did not throw in the 45 Kt tailwind).