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Range is not a guaranteed route

Why the biggest number is not always the useful one.

Read the caption first

A range figure needs conditions. Fuel, payload and the operating situation matter, and the maximum advertised range is not a timetable. NASA’s range summary connects fuel use, available flight time and speed; actual airline planning involves more detail.

Keep the version attached

A family name can hide a longer-range variant or a different weight option. Our comparison names the model and the source table. If one entry uses a published maximum and another uses a typical cabin, do not rank them as though the measurement conditions were identical.

A practical research habit

For a real journey, use the airline and airport information for that flight. For an enthusiast comparison, write down what you are comparing and why. A range bar can illustrate a capability; it cannot tell you the loaded aircraft’s remaining fuel or operational margins.

Another flight path