In today’s world, energy costs, especially fuel prices, continue to rise, putting a strain on our wallets. But what about passenger planes that can hold up to 370,000 liters of fuel? How does this affect their operation costs and how much does it cost to fill them up? Let’s take a closer look at the surprising prices and details.
How much fuel does airplanes consume?
Airplanes use a special petroleum derivative called “kerosene,” which is known as Jet A-1 in the aviation industry. Kerosene was previously used as lamp oil for gas lamps. Depending on their purpose, airplanes are equipped with engines of various sizes and power, resulting in different fuel capacities for each model.
So, how much fuel do airplanes consume? For example, the Airbus A380, the world’s largest passenger plane with four engines and a capacity of 853 passengers, can hold up to 370,000 liters of fuel. On the other hand, a Boeing 737 with two engines and a capacity of 151 passengers can store 26,170 liters of fuel in its tanks.
A passenger on a flight organized by Asiana Airlines in South Korea jeopardized everyone's lives by opening the door during landing.
Fuel consumption in aircraft, just like in road vehicles, depends on various factors such as weather conditions, the pilot’s driving style, the weight of the cargo and passengers carried. Therefore, even within the same model of aircraft, different consumption values are measured.
Let’s use the statistics of the popular Boeing 787, which many airlines have recently added to their fleets, to get an idea of the fuel costs and consumption values of airplanes through a simple calculation.
The Boeing 787, a twin-engine aircraft capable of carrying 300 passengers, can hold 126,372 liters of fuel and has a range of 14,010 km. Assuming the aircraft completes its range with a full tank, it consumes approximately 9.02 liters of fuel per kilometer. If we consider the current price of Jet fuel at $0.67 per liter, the aircraft would spend around $6.04 per kilometer, and filling up its tank at full capacity would cost $84,669.
For comparison, an average diesel car that consumes 6 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (based on the current price of diesel) can purchase 77,405 liters of fuel with the same cost. The Boeing 787 can travel 1,290,000 kilometers with this amount of fuel. As you can see, aviation costs can reach significantly higher amounts compared to other means of transportation.
We have answered the question of how much fuel airplanes consume. What are your thoughts on this? Don’t forget to share your opinions in the comments!
