Planning for and getting maximum range from your aircraft is a lot more involved than just filling the tanks.

by Jeb Burnside

An aircraft’s range is just another parameter, like gross weight or horsepower, based on the results of design and engineering choices. In this case, cruise airspeed, fuel consumption and fuel capacity combine to tell us how far we can fly before the fan stops turning. The wind velocity at our chosen altitude will have some impact, also. Range is distinctly different from, say, how fast we can fly or for how long. But, together, these variables—and a host of others—comprise an aircraft’s performance specifications, making one example more suitable for a certain task than another. …