What does effective fuel management contribute to in terms of range?

Effective fuel management plays a crucial role in maximizing the efficiency and extending the range of an aircraft. By carefully monitoring fuel consumption and making strategic decisions regarding fuel load, throttle settings, and flight profiles, pilots can optimize how fuel is used. This leads to achieving a greater distance traveled on a given amount of fuel.

Well-managed fuel resources ensure that the aircraft operates at its most efficient altitude and speed, which minimizes fuel burn and maximizes distance. Additionally, understanding weight distribution and fuel load allows for adjustments that can further enhance performance and therefore extend the operational range of the aircraft.

The other options do not accurately reflect the principles of fuel management. Limiting range would be counterproductive, claiming it's irrelevant undermines its importance in flight planning, and implying it increases weight contradicts the fundamental goal of optimizing fuel usage to improve range.