Aircraft Fuel Required Calculator
Fill in the values and the answer updates as you type.
How the Aircraft Fuel Required Calculator works
Flight time = distance ÷ groundspeed. Trip fuel = flight time × fuel burn. Reserve fuel = reserve minutes ÷ 60 × fuel burn, and total = trip + reserve + start-up fuel. Any fuel unit works as long as burn and taxi use the same unit, such as liters and liters per hour. The weight line assumes about 6 lb per US gallon of avgas. Add extra for climb, alternates, and weather. Example: with Distance 250 NM, Groundspeed 110 kt, Fuel burn 9 gal/h, Start-up and taxi fuel 1.5 gal, and Reserve 45 min, the result is Total fuel required = 28.7; Flight time (minutes) = 136; Trip fuel = 20.5.
Inputs and results
The Aircraft Fuel Required Calculator takes 5 inputs and gives 5 results.
What you enter
- Distance (NM) — starts at 250.
- Groundspeed (kt) — starts at 110.
- Fuel burn (gal/h) — starts at 9.
- Start-up and taxi fuel (gal) — starts at 1.5.
- Reserve (min) — starts at 45.
What you get
- Total fuel required
- Flight time (minutes)
- Trip fuel
- Reserve fuel
- Total weight if US gal of avgas (lb)
Example: Aircraft Fuel Required Calculator with the starting values
With distance 250 NM, groundspeed 110 kt, fuel burn 9 gal/h, start-up and taxi fuel 1.5 gal and reserve 45 min, the calculator returns:
| Total fuel required | 28.7 |
|---|---|
| Flight time (minutes) | 136 |
| Trip fuel | 20.5 |
| Reserve fuel | 6.8 |
| Total weight if US gal of avgas (lb) | 172 |
Change any value above and the results update straight away.
Aircraft Fuel Required Calculator FAQ
How do I use the Aircraft Fuel Required Calculator?
Enter distance, groundspeed, fuel burn and start-up and taxi fuel in the fields, then read total fuel required, flight time (minutes), trip fuel and reserve fuel in the result panel. The answer updates as you type, and you can press Calculate or Enter to refresh it. Use “Copy link” to share your exact numbers with someone else.
What does the Aircraft Fuel Required Calculator calculate?
Trip fuel, reserve, and total fuel for a flight. It returns total fuel required, flight time (minutes), trip fuel and reserve fuel from the 5 values you provide.
What values does the Aircraft Fuel Required Calculator start with?
It opens with distance 250 NM, groundspeed 110 kt, fuel burn 9 gal/h and start-up and taxi fuel 1.5 gal so you can see a working result straight away. Replace them with your own numbers, or press Reset to return to these starting values.
Is the Aircraft Fuel Required Calculator free and private?
Yes. It is free, needs no account, and runs in your browser, so nothing you type is sent to or stored on our servers. See the Privacy Policy for details.
Can I rely on the Aircraft Fuel Required Calculator for important decisions?
Treat the result as a well-rounded estimate. Real situations often have details a general calculator cannot know, so confirm important decisions with a qualified professional. See the Disclaimer for more.