Definition
The rate at which an aircraft engine consumes fuel during operation, typically expressed in gallons per hour (gph) or pounds per hour (pph) at a given power setting, altitude, and mixture configuration.
Plain English
How much fuel the engine uses per hour at a chosen power setting.
Context Anchor
Seen in climb and cruise performance charts when planning fuel needed for a flight.
Why Pilots Care
It determines fuel required for a planned flight and directly affects range, endurance, and reserve calculations.
Intuition Check
Do not read fuel burn rate as the total fuel used. It means the speed of fuel use over time, such as 10 gallons each hour.
Example Sentence 1
At 75% power and 6,000 feet, the cruise chart shows a fuel burn rate of 9.5 gallons per hour.
Example Sentence 2
Climbing to a higher altitude at the same power setting usually lowers the fuel burn rate.