Chapter Three - Fuel

I am alone in the dark, watching my fuel status and getting nervous. I exhausted the external tanks a while back and switched to internal. I could release the externals but I hated to do that. It would reduce my drag but once gone they were never coming back. The external tanks increased my range and probably my lifespan by giving me options.

The plane kept reminding me that I was reaching bingo fuel. Bingo means the least amount of fuel that you need to return to base. In my case base no longer had any meaning so what I was most interested in was my endurance in the air. When that gauge dropped to zero I would also drop.

The only good thing about the tanks becoming empty was that it reduced the weight that the plane was carrying. This increased my endurance. Fuel management is a complicated mix of weight, power setting, time and distance.

I was flying using the lowest possible fuel consumption settings. I was also judiciously using my radio to try and find anyone else that made it off. So far nothing. My other electronics, such as IFF (friend or foe identification) were also listening for me.