Fuel Decisions

Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 01:28 PM ET

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On The Cover: Opening up the fuel tank and peering into it with a flashlight can help us verify how much fuel we have aboard, and is one way to avoid fuel-related mishaps. And fuel-related mishaps account for a startling number of accidents, including fatals. For more, see the article beginning on page 16 by Tom Turner. Image by the Editor-In-Chief.

Key Takeaways:

The author recounts multiple experiences where planned fuel stops unexpectedly had no fuel available, underscoring a common challenge in aviation.
Maintaining ample fuel reserves is crucial, allowing pilots to safely reach an alternate airport if a planned fuel stop is unavailable.
Pilots are advised against risky practices like flying maximum-range trips or prioritizing the absolute cheapest fuel, as these can lead to landing with dangerously low reserves at unserviced locations.
Prudent fuel management, prioritizing safety and healthy reserves over price or distance, is essential to prevent fuel starvation or exhaustion accidents.

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It’s happened to me three times. The first time happened about a year after I earned my Private Pilot certificate. About a week before my Practical Test I accepted delivery of NC89954, a 1946 Cessna 120. The 120 is a side-by-side two-seat tailwheel airplane with fabric-covered wings and an 85 horsepower engine. It’s the airplane that eventually evolved into the Cessna 150 and 152.

With about a year’s experience in type, I launched on my first epic aerial journey, from my home in central Missouri to Detroit to visit family. My dad, a Honolulu-based airline mechanic and one-time lightplane pilot himself, flew in to Kansas City to join me on this odyssey. Our first leg stopped in Hannibal, Missouri, just short of the Missouri River.