Plain English Meaning

How much fuel the engine is using over a set period of time, usually measured per hour.

Full Definition

The rate at which an engine burns fuel during operation, typically expressed in pounds per hour (lb/hr) or gallons per hour (gal/hr) for a given power setting, altitude, and operating condition. In jet engines, fuel consumption is often described as thrust-specific fuel consumption (TSFC), which is the fuel burned per unit of thrust produced.

Context Anchor

Seen in engine operation, flight planning, performance, range, endurance, and fuel-required discussions.

Derivation

“Fuel” means material burned to produce . “Consumption” comes from an older sense meaning “using up.” Together, the phrase points to fuel being used up by the engine, usually measured as a rate over time.