According to the Wiki article on the Cessna 400, the aircraft has a maximum range of 1,107 nm (1,274 statute miles). The maximum range is usually at ‘economy cruise’, which is about 55% power. The fuel consumption paragraph in the article is talking about maximum power.
VFR reserves are 30 minutes, and IFR reserves are 45 minutes; not two hours. What that means is that an aircraft is required to carry enough fuel to reach its destination, and then fly for another 30 (or 45) minutes. The fuel is still usable, regardless of whether a pilot complies with the regulation. Harris-Moore had no intention of complying with applicable laws, and running on fumes didn’t matter to him as long as he got to (or close to) his destination.
The 17 gph figure is talking about “lean of peak” operation. At max cruise, I beleive fuel comsumption was 25gph.
Assuming my estimate of 85 gallons above is correct, at 55% power 200mph (statutoary) is conceivable, since max speed is 270mph (again, stat). I suppose since those fuel consumption rates were taken at 11,000 feet instead of its 25,000 ceiling, they might decrease significantly enough to make 1200 statutory miles flyable, but again, you’d have to average a fuel consumption less than half of the max. And I am not talking about how a crazy teenager woudl fly it, I am talking about the supposed published range of the aircraft.
The airplane can fly fast; but like a car, you use less fuel when you slow down. I don’t remember reading any citation (Heh. Cessna. ‘Citation’. Get it? ) that he was flying 200 mph. A lower power setting results in lower speed, and also greater range.
‘Lean of peak’ has to do with the mixture. In a piston-powered airplane, the ratio of air to fuel is variable with the mixture control. Leaning the mixture provides more power at altitude. The game is to lean the mixture enough to get the extra power and the reduced fuel consumption, while at the same time providing enough fuel to keep the engine running. The other issue is temperature. You want to keep the engine cool enough to prevent damage. Fuel is one way to cool the engine. Too lean, and you get too hot. You can lean the mixture so much that even though the engine keeps running, it’s running too hot. Of course on a one-way trip in a stolen aircraft, it just has to keep running long enough.
Well, at a lower speed, it also takes a longer time…in any case, I will defer to you since I am only the son of a pilot, and not a pilot myself. My mom’s plane, a Cherokee 140, used about 8gph cruising at ~80mph, which is what makes this seem altogether infeasible to me.
) that he was flying 200 mph. A lower power setting results in lower speed, and also greater range.