Fuel Planning Basics for Simulated Airline Flights

Nothing ends a carefully briefed sim flight faster than fuel starvation two hundred miles from destination. NG ROUTE breaks fuel into the same categories dispatchers use in the real world, scaled for training. Loading the correct total in MSFS or X-Plane makes weight-and-balance performance match your plan.

Trip fuel

Trip fuel covers takeoff through touchdown at destination. NG ROUTE multiplies estimated flight time by an aircraft-specific burn rate derived from typical jet cruise consumption. Short sectors have higher average burn because climb fuel is a larger share.

Contingency (5%)

Five percent contingency absorbs minor routing changes or stronger headwinds than forecast. It is not an invitation to launch with sloppy reserves — it mirrors regulatory padding used on paper flight plans.

Alternate (200 NM)

If destination weather drops below minima, you divert. The planner adds fuel for a 200 NM alternate leg at similar burn. In the sim you can pick an alternate airport from the NG ROUTE airport pages and mentally verify it is within that radius.

Final reserve

Jets carry 45 minutes of holding fuel at approach consumption after landing at alternate. This is your last safety buffer. Do not plan to touch it except in deliberate emergency practice.

Taxi fuel

Startup, taxi, and takeoff roll burn is added separately. Long taxi routes at busy hubs like KJFK or LFPG can matter; NG ROUTE includes a nominal allowance.

Total fuel line

The bold TOTAL FUEL figure is what you should type into the sim payload screen. Round up slightly for comfort. If your aircraft uses pounds instead of kilograms, convert with 1 kg ≈ 2.205 lb or use the unit your add-on expects.

Weight linkage to V-speeds

Heavier takeoff weight raises VR and V2. If you add extra cargo in the sim beyond what NG ROUTE assumed, regenerate the plan or mentally expect slightly longer takeoff roll.

Training scenarios

• Normal ops — load total fuel, fly direct.
• Diversion drill — load total, then actually shoot the approach at an alternate airport.
• Minimum fuel — advanced only; load trip plus reserve to practice priority handling on VATSIM.

Conservative fuel habits in the sim cost nothing. They build the discipline real crews use when weather at destination is hovering at IFR limits.