Definition
The quantity of fuel a flight is expected to consume from takeoff to landing at the destination, calculated before departure based on route, altitude, aircraft performance, weight, forecast winds, and expected power settings. It does not include reserve, alternate, or contingency fuel — only the fuel forecast to be used flying the planned route.
Plain English
The amount of fuel you expect to use getting from your departure airport to your destination, worked out before you take off.
Context Anchor
Seen during flight planning and in-flight fuel checks, especially when deciding whether there is enough fuel to continue, go to another airport, or accept a delay.
Derivation
“Burn” refers to combustion in the engine: the engine burns fuel to make power. In aviation, “fuel burn” means fuel consumed by the engine, not a fire in the aircraft.
Why Pilots Care
Determines whether adequate fuel reserves exist for the planned route, alternates, and contingencies, directly affecting go/no-go decisions and regulatory compliance.
Intuition Check
Planned fuel burn is not the fuel left in the tanks, and it is not a guarantee. It is the expected fuel use, which must be compared with actual fuel use during the flight.
Example Sentence 1
At the halfway point, the crew checked actual fuel remaining against the planned fuel burn and found they were tracking about 50 pounds ahead due to a stronger-than-forecast tailwind.
Example Sentence 2
With a strong tailwind the actual fuel used came in below the planned fuel burn for the leg.