With 38 gallons of fuel at cruise power (55 percent), how much flight time is available including night VFR fuel reserve?

To determine the available flight time with 38 gallons of fuel at cruise power, taking into account the night VFR fuel reserve is essential. In aviation, the fuel reserve for night VFR is typically set at 30 minutes of fuel.

First, it's important to understand the fuel consumption rate when operating at 55 percent power. This rate varies depending on the aircraft type, but for many light aircraft, cruising at a lower power setting like 55 percent typically results in lower fuel consumption compared to higher power settings.

Assuming a reasonable fuel flow rate at cruise power (let's say around 7-10 gallons per hour for a small aircraft), we can calculate the time available with the given fuel, while also including the required minimum reserve. For instance, if we consider an average consumption rate of 7.5 gallons per hour at 55 percent power, the following calculations can be performed:

1. Total Fuel Available: 38 gallons.

2. Fuel Required for Reserve: 30 minutes (which translates to 0.5 hours), so if the average consumption is 7.5 gallons per hour, the reserve fuel required would be approximately 3.75 gallons (7.5 gallons/hour × 0.