With a fuel quantity of 65 gallons and operating at best power (level flight) of 55 percent, how much flight time would be available with a day VFR fuel reserve remaining?

To determine the available flight time with a fuel quantity of 65 gallons while operating at 55 percent power in level flight, it's essential to first understand fuel consumption rates and reserves. In day VFR conditions, pilots typically aim for a fuel reserve of at least 30 minutes of flight time. This reserve must be taken into account when calculating total flight time.

Starting with the 65 gallons of fuel, the fuel consumption rate at 55 percent power must be established. It is common for aircraft to have a specific fuel flow rate (such as gallons per hour) at various power settings. Assuming an appropriate fuel flow rate in this scenario leads to a calculation of how long the aircraft can fly at that setting.

Once the total flight time is calculated, subtracting 30 minutes (the VFR fuel reserve) will provide the usable flight time for the journey.

Using the correct fuel flow and applying that to the initial fuel quantity leads to a precise calculation. In this scenario, choosing 4 hours and 30 minutes as the answer suggests that this duration takes into account the necessary fuel reserve after determining how long the aircraft can operate on the given fuel at the established power setting.

Thus, the selection of 4 hours and 30 minutes aligns