Definition
Performance charts in the AFM/POH that show how much fuel an airplane burns per hour at various power settings, altitudes, and mixture conditions. They are used to calculate the fuel required for a flight and to estimate endurance and range.
Plain English
Tables or graphs in the airplane's handbook that tell you how much fuel the engine will use each hour under different flying conditions, so you can work out how much fuel you need.
Context Anchor
Found in the performance section of the AFM/POH during preflight planning and fuel planning.
Why Pilots Care
They allow accurate calculation of total fuel required for a flight so the pilot can carry enough without excess weight.
Intuition Check
Do not treat fuel consumption charts as a promise that the airplane will burn exactly that amount of fuel. They are planning estimates based on the listed conditions, and real fuel use can change with engine condition, mixture setting, wind, routing, and pilot technique.
Example Sentence 1
Before the cross-country flight, she used the fuel consumption charts to confirm she had enough fuel for the trip plus the required reserves.
Example Sentence 2
At 75 percent power and 8000 feet, the charts showed a fuel burn of 8.5 gallons per hour.