Definition
The process of determining how much fuel is required for a flight, including taxi, climb, cruise, descent, approach, alternate, and reserve fuel, based on aircraft performance data, planned route, winds, and regulatory minimums. On an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), fuel calculations are typically performed automatically using built-in performance data and current flight plan inputs.
Plain English
Working out how much fuel the flight will use and how much you need to carry, including extra for things like diversions and reserves.
Context Anchor
Seen in EFB flight planning tools before departure and when updating fuel information during a flight.
Why Pilots Care
Accurate fuel calculations ensure compliance with FAR fuel reserve rules and directly prevent fuel-exhaustion emergencies.
Analogy
Like planning the exact amount of gas needed for a long drive while adding extra for traffic, road closures, and reaching the next station.
Intuition Check
Do not think of fuel calculations as only checking whether the tanks are full. In aviation, they compare planned fuel use, expected remaining fuel, and required extra fuel for the whole flight.
Example Sentence 1
Before departure, the pilot used the EFB to run fuel calculations for the planned route, including reserves and an alternate airport.
Example Sentence 2
Unexpected headwinds forced the pilot to rerun the fuel calculations while airborne to confirm adequate reserves remained.