On 6-Sep-2004, (Ben Jackson) wrote:

If you're flying long distances and want to cut the total time, the most
cost effective way is to carry enough fuel that you don't have to stop.
If you can cut a 30 minute fuel stop out of a C-172 flightplan it's like
adding 15kts.


I don't think I have ever in my life been able to turn a fuel stop in 30
minutes, taking into account the time to fly the pattern and climb out after
the stop. 45 minutes is probably more realistic, and probably at least an
hour if IFR. And the speed penalty is more pronounced on higher performance
airplanes. For a 140 kt plane on a 600 nm trip, the penalty (of a 45 min.
stop) would be more than 20 kts.

This illustrates why having small tanks in order to obtain high "full fuel"
cabin load is such a stupid idea.

--
-Elliott Drucker