How is fuel endurance calculated in aviation?

Fuel endurance in aviation is calculated by knowing the fuel quantity available on board and the fuel burn rate for the aircraft during flight. This method allows pilots to determine how long the aircraft can remain airborne before running out of fuel.

To arrive at this calculation, you would typically take the total amount of fuel (in gallons or liters) and divide it by the fuel consumption rate (in gallons per hour or liters per hour). The result gives you the total flight time that can be sustained as long as conditions remain constant and no additional fuel is consumed through increased power settings or other factors.

The other approaches listed do not directly provide the means to calculate endurance. For example, measuring flight distance and speed relates more to operational ranges rather than the specific time an aircraft can fly on given fuel. Estimating flight time and weight could provide context for fuel needs but would not yield a direct calculation of endurance. Calculating altitude and airspeed may influence fuel consumption rates, but they do not provide a reliable formula for determining how long the fuel will last. Therefore, knowing the fuel quantity and burn rate is the most accurate and straightforward method for determining fuel endurance in aviation.