Had a max range flight yesterday. Given that I burned an extra 75lbs on the ground due to idiots cutting me off on the taxi way and delaying my departure (that could be an entire other thread) and then Denver kept me low FOREVER on the departure and I was at one point pushed from FL270 down to FL250 for crossing traffic and left there for a while, I was pleased that I could stay in the air for 5.2hrs and land with a solid VFR reserve.

I was at burning 400lbs/hr and truing out at 275-282 over the course of the flight. Not bad efficiency for a turbine twin. 1500nm is a long way. Had it been IFR at destination, I would have stopped for fuel though.

I am now 100 hours into flying the Mitts and it continues to exceed expectation on every flight. Amazing amount of plane for the money. It is a real 300 knot plane whenever you need it be, but similar speed/efficiency to a PC12 when you pull the power back. If I could get RSVM, which I can't , it would be phenomenal for long flights.

How much fuel is a solid VFR reserve in a MU-2?

500lbs - though that is what I get when I subtract fuel burned from the counter from 2700lbs (full fuel). I showed closer to 600 on the gauges, which I think was right. The plane was fueled on a spot that is slightly nose down and I think that allows you to put some extra fuel in the tips.

It was clear and a million at the destination with multiple airports near by, landing in daylight, etc. Any of those factors not the case and I would have stopped and got gas somewhere.

That works!

I did a 5.1hour flight in my commander and had 800lbs left.

If I kept going to destination on that flight I would have landed with 500lbs, maybe!

In Socal they can leave you low for a long time. I chickened out even though I knew the route. I have about 75 hours in it and love the they range.

Just takes getting to know the plane.

I have been annoyed by how much ATC routing impacts range. I get dropped down WAY out going into most major areas. The jets definitely seem to get a slightly better routing.

I am pretty sure on the right wind day, I could make it back to Denver from the east coast, but I know Denver would drop me down over 100 miles out. I met someone with a Meridian who lived in Denver and he said he would often file for Grand Junction and then at 280 almost on top of BJC, tell ATC he had a fuel issue and needed to change destination and then spiral down and land. Seems like it could work if the weather was cooperative.

Yeah...we were cleared down to 3,000 feet yesterday in the Citation II 60 miles from KBLM (jersey shore) burning 1600lbs an hour. Great teaching moment about the reserve shown on the FMS at altitude for my SIC..ignore that number coming into the NE.

Flightaware says 5:19 for the flight, and you used at least 100 lbs in start and taxi (given the 75 lbs penalty you mention), and 100 lbs extra for the climb (particularly for being held low at the start). When I run the numbers, you had 375 lbs, 55 gallons left, at best, after landing and shutdown.

You braver than me! When I get under 600 lbs, I had better be looking at a runway. Dorking around at low altitude sucks fuel like crazy.

I would suggest in your still early stages of MU2 experience, you might want to operate with more margin on fuel.

I would also suggest that you do a very careful refill of your main tank, note the fuel gauge before and after, and what the truck total was. You *may* have less fuel than you thought and this is a good time to check the fuel gauge calibration. May you never explore this part of the gauge again, though.

Mike C.

Did your low fuel lights illuminate? Had that happen one or twice on the Commander. Not a sicker feeling in the world.

Yeah...we were cleared down to 3,000 feet yesterday in the Citation II 60 miles from KBLM (jersey shore) burning 1600lbs an hour. Great teaching moment about the reserve shown on the FMS at altitude for my SIC..ignore that number coming into the NE.

I wonder if ATC does this because there really is no other way - or because it's the way it's always been done and no one is driving for change? In an age where we are investing huge $$$ to improve energy efficiency - seems like there is some opportunity here.

If you plan on going max range more often, I would suggest draining the tanks completely and then filling them to see what you really get in there. While your filling check your gauges. When it comes to fuel and long range, everything is only an assumption and needs to be verified.

Your low burn and slower speed suggests extremely warm air or reduced power. Those speeds are what I see in the Merlin on ~430 pph.

Try 1800+ and 1900+ nm trips back to back in one day. Thats a long day. No complaints from George though.

Flightaware says 5:19 for the flight, and you used at least 100 lbs in start and taxi (given the 75 lbs penalty you mention), and 100 lbs extra for the climb (particularly for being held low at the start). When I run the numbers, you had 375 lbs, 55 gallons left, at best, after landing and shutdown.

You braver than me! When I get under 600 lbs, I had better be looking at a runway. Dorking around at low altitude sucks fuel like crazy.

I would suggest in your still early stages of MU2 experience, you might want to operate with more margin on fuel.

I would also suggest that you do a very careful refill of your main tank, note the fuel gauge before and after, and what the truck total was. You *may* have less fuel than you thought and this is a good time to check the fuel gauge calibration. May you never explore this part of the gauge again, though.

Mike C.

That trick works in the Meridian as well. As I descend, my fuel flow drops way below cruise settings, and then when I level off, I just bring the fuel flow up to about where my cruise flow was. Does make a difference when you get pushed low, and makes fuel planning less complex. No reason to be bumping up against redline down low, plus it makes ATC nervous when you are closing in on the pistons in their flow at over 100 knots from behind. Other trick, if ever being vectored away from destination, climb at Vy and if level, just pull the power back. Get your clearance before engine start as well. Even though I consider the Meridian a solid 750 nm plane, I have a lot of trips where I have been able to get over 1000 nm even without much help from Ma nature just by being fuel wise.

Into TEB, 200 out DQO, 13000 in a Hawker. 11000 in a King Air. Not to mention the 3000 foot tour of NJ airports for the VOR B. EWR arrivals, overhead....