Specific Range Calculator (NM per Gallon)
Aviation's fuel economy: nautical miles per gallon from TAS, wind and flow — compare power settings and altitudes the way the cruise tables wish you would.
Compare two POH cruise lines through this tool and the economy story jumps out: 55% power often gives up 8 knots for 1.5 free nm/gal. The wind input matters because range shopping happens over the ground, not through the air.
Formula
⚠️ For flight planning and education only — verify with official sources, your POH/AFM and certified equipment. Not for primary navigation.
Aviation's fuel economy: nautical miles per gallon from TAS, wind and flow — compare power settings and altitudes the way the cruise tables wish you would.
About Specific Range Calculator (NM per Gallon)
Cars get MPG stickers; aircraft hide the same number inside cruise tables as separate TAS and fuel-flow columns. This calculator marries them into specific range — nautical miles per gallon, over the ground — plus the statute-MPG translation for the inevitable car comparison and the fuel cost per mile that turns power-setting choices into money. Run it twice with two cruise lines and the economy-cruise argument settles itself.
How to use Specific Range Calculator (NM per Gallon)
- 1Enter — sensible defaults are pre-filled so you see a worked result immediately.
- 2Read the live results: .
- 3Check the "With your numbers" line to see the formula specific range = GS ÷ fuel flow (nm/gal); cost/nm = price ÷ specific range substituted step by step.
- 4Adjust inputs (or flip the unit toggle) until the scenario matches yours, then copy or share the result.
Why use Specific Range Calculator (NM per Gallon)?
- ✓Instant, free and private — every calculation runs in your browser, nothing is uploaded
- ✓Built on the published formula specific range = GS ÷ fuel flow (nm/gal); cost/nm = price ÷ specific range with sources cited on the page
- ✓Compare two POH cruise lines through this tool and the economy story jumps out: 55% power often gives up 8 knots for 1.5 free nm/gal. The wind input matters because range shopping happens over the ground, not through the air.
- ✓Switch units, tweak any input and watch every result update live
Frequently asked questions
What specific range is typical for light aircraft?+
Trainers cruise around 11–14 nm/gal (13–16 statute mpg — yes, a Skyhawk beats most SUVs while doing 130 mph in a straight line). High-efficiency singles (Mooneys, RVs, diesels) reach 16–20+; big twins drop to 5–7. The figure swings ±20% with power setting alone, which is the entire point of computing it.
Why does best economy differ from best range speed?+
Terminology care: maximum specific range occurs at a specific speed (roughly best L/D adjusted for prop efficiency), slower than normal cruise. 'Best economy' mixture at a given power setting is a leaning choice, not a speed. Stack both — economy mixture at the max-range speed — and the nm/gal peaks; the POH's economy cruise tables encode the combination.
How does wind change the strategy, not just the number?+
Headwinds penalize slow flight twice (more time in the punishment), so the optimal speed shifts faster into a headwind and slower with a tailwind — classic Carson/MacCready-style reasoning. Practically: into 30 knots, fly a notch faster than the calm-air economy speed; riding 30 knots, throttle back and bank the surplus.
Is fuel cost per mile the full operating cost?+
Not remotely — engine reserve, maintenance, insurance and hangar typically double-to-quadruple the hourly cost of fuel alone. But fuel is the only marginal cost that responds to your throttle hand in cruise, which makes this tool's $/nm the right number for route and power decisions, while the full hourly rate governs whether to fly at all.
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