Who doesn’t want a little more range from their favorite airplane? Or, rather specifically, more endurance. After all, airplanes deliver their horsepower from burning fuel at a more or less fixed rate, consumed in gallons per hour. The number of miles covered, on the other hand, is utterly dependant on the wind’s velocity; your actual mileage may vary. But we have all probably had the thought: “If I just had another hour of fuel, I could make this leg nonstop.”
Installing an auxiliary fuel system to eliminate the temptation to land “on fumes” or, worse yet, to exhaust one’s fuel supply short of the destination, is not an inexpensive or easy solution. That said, there are proven, well-engineered aux fuel systems to be had for the most popular planes, and you’ll find that some airplanes on the market have already had them installed, should you be shopping for a new ride. We’ll discuss what’s available and how they work.
