by David
(Buffalo)
How many hours can an airplane fly?
ANSWER: If you are referring to total flight time on one tank of fuel, it varies depending on the airplane size, engine size, number of engines, and the size of the fuel tanks.
Small airplanes have smaller fuel tanks and can only fly a few hours on one tank of fuel. They also fly at lower altitudes which is less fuel efficient.
On the other hand, in 1986, there was one small airplane called the voyager that flew non-stop around the world on one tank of fuel. This was a special built airplane that held a lot of fuel. It was virtually a flying fuel tank.
Some large airplanes routinely fly 18+ hours on one tank of fuel. They of course carry thousands of gallons of fuel on-board, in tanks located in the fuselage, wings and tail. They also fly at higher altitudes which is more fuel efficient.