FUEL PLANNING.

Fuel planning in Flightsim might be a little bit tricky. Aircrafts of different size, from from single engine props to big multi engine jets, will require different methods. In real word flying, this is no problem. You will normally only fly one type at a time, not so in FS. Besides there are a lot of diagrams and computers to help you.
This page is just meant as a basic help in fuel planning.

Basic planning.

Works for most aircrafts with take off weights in the range 30 - 100 tons.
1.Calculate your flight time from departure - via destination - to your alternate. Then use 3 000kg/hour.
2.Besides the FAA require that we carry some reserve. Contingency fuel (5% of the trip fuel) and final reserve (30 minutes flight time at 1 500ft above the alternate). Use 2 000kg to cover this.

Example: ESSA(Stockholm) to EKCH(Copenhagen) and EKBI(Billund) as alternate.
Flight time to EKCH 1 hour and to EKBI 30 minutes will give 3 000 + 1 500 + 2 000 = 6 500kg.

Precise planning.

For those of you wanting a more precise method. Tables from MD-80 AOM. I have only removed the graph showing the wind influence. To heavy to be transfered to HTML.

Valid for MD-80.

You need to calculate:
Taxi fuel = 200kg.
A standard quantity to cover APU consumption, engine start and ground maneuvers until start of takeoff. Normally 200kg. The amount may be corrected when required by local conditions.
Trip fuel = table 1.
Fuel required to fly from the aerodrome of departure to the destination, based on planned operating conditions. This amount shall include fuel for takeoff, climb following a normally used SID giving longest distance, normal cruise and descent to initial approach fix, approach to the least favorable runway and landing.
Contingency fuel (CF)= 500 kg.
Fuel required to cover deviations during flight, as well as to provide operational flexibility in case of inflight malfunctions.
When planning a flight, the CF shall be not less than 5% of the planned trip fuel. 500 kg is used as a standard figure.
Alternate fuel = table 2.
Fuel required to fly from the destination to the alternate. The alternate fuel will include fuel from start of missed approach following normally used SID giving longest distance, climb,LRC(Long Range Cruise) and descent to main nav aid, approach to least favorable runway and landing. Calculation to be based on a realistic FL and planned landing weight.
Final reserve = table 3.
The fuel required to fly for 30 minutes at holding speed at 1 500 feet above the alternate aerodrome under standard conditions and at estimated weight.
Extra fuel.
Fuel uplift to cover icing conditions, APU consumption etc, all at the discretion of the commander.
Company fuel.
Fuel uplifted in addition to minimum ramp fuel to cover company specified operational requirements, such as destination holding at aerodromes specified in the company manuals. The commander my disregard this requirement taking in consideration winds, weather and traffic.


TABLE 1. TOTAL FLIGHT TIME AND TRIP FUEL.
This table shows the normal trip fuel and is valid for landing weight of 50 000 kg and less.
For each 2 000 kg deviation above 50 000 kg landing weight, add corrections in kilos.
Time in hours and minutes.
Fuel in tons.
Ground distance in Nautical miles.
The table is valid for zero wind. 50kt wind will add/decrease time/fuel by approximately 10%.
Ground
distance		 27 000ft29 000ft31 000ft 33 000ft35 000ft37 000ft Corr
TIMEFUELTIMEFUELTIMEFUEL TIMEFUELTIMEFUELTIMEFUEL
28006:5120,16:4219,56:3618,9 ------500
26006:2418,66:1518,16:1017,5 ------450
24005:5717,15:4816,65:4316,1 ------450
22005:2915,65:2115,25:1614,7 5:1414,3----400
20005:0214,24:5413,84:4913,4 4:4613,0----360
19004:4813,44:4013,14:3512,7 4:3312,4----360
18004:3412,74:2612,44:2212,0 4:1911,7----350
17004:2012,04:1311,74:0811,4 4:0611,1----300
16004:0611,33:5911,03:5410,7 3:5210,43:459,9--300
15003:5210,63:4510,33:4110,1 3:399,83:389,6--300
14003:389,93:319,73:279,4 3:259,23:259,0--250
13003:249,23:179,03:138,8 3:118,53:118,3--250
12003:098,53:038,33:008,1 2:587,92:577,7--250
11002:557,92:497,72:467,5 2:447,32:447,1--200
10002:407,22:357,02:326,9 2:306,72:306,5--200
9002:266,52:216,42:186,2 2:176,12:166,0--150
8002:115,92:075,72:045,6 2:035,52:035,4--150
7001:565,21:535,11:505,0 1:494,91:494,8--150
6001:414,61:394,51:364,4 1:364,31:354,21:354,2150
5001:263,91:243,81:223,8 1:223,71:213,71:223,6100
4001:113,31:103,21:083,2 1:083,11:083,11:083,1100
3000:562,60:552,60:542,6 0:542,50:54;2,50:542,5100
2000:412,00:402,00:402,0 0:402,0----100


TABLE 2. TIME AND FUEL TO ALTERNATE.
Alternate time and fuel can be obtained as follows:
- Enter chart with GROUND DISTANCE and read OVHD TIME and OVHD FUEL.
- Apply FUEL CORRECTION if the LW is above 50 ton.
- FLIGHT TIME = OVHD TIME + 7 min.
- TRIP FUEL = OVHD FUEL.
- Apply wind correction as in table 1.
GROUND DISTANCE
(nm)		OVHD TIME
(hr:min)		 OVHD FUEL
(t)		FUEL
CORRECTION
(kg fuel/2 ton LW
above 50 ton)
6001:344,4 +150
5001:213,8 +100
4001:073,2 +100
3000:492,5 +100
2000:351,9 +50


TABLE 3. FINAL RESERVE FUEL AT 1 500 ft
GROSS WEIGHT404244464850 525456586062
30 min FINAL RESRVE FUEL (kg)1040108011301170 12101250130013401380142014601500