One item that really helps is a JPI FuelScan. Once you know *exactly* what your plane is burning, you'll have a far more comfortable feeling flying a 150/150 with stock tanks. Ed Figuli put one in Woodstock, I'm sure he'll pipe up soon.
+1
As Kirk said I put the
JPI FuelScan 450 [
jpinstruments.com] in Woodstock and consider it to be the best upgrade I've ever done. I know exactly how much gas I've used, how much is left and how long I can fly at my current fuel usage. Once the instrument was wired into my Garmin GPSMAP 496 it told me if I had enough gas to reach my destination and how much I would have once I got there. Will I have enough to reach my alternate if it is 30 minutes away? It won't give you a number to the alternate but you can do the math in your head. What it does is take away one of the things that I used to try to calculate throughout a two hour flight.
There is a caveat of course. You have to remember to reset it after gassing up, gas up the same way every time. And self check. Before shutting down see how much was burned and how much went into the tank. If the numbers are way off there may be a problem with the fuel flow indicator. Generally the fuel flow meters are throwaway items so it should be as easy as replacing it. If the numbers are off by just a little every time and by the same amount there is a procedure in the owners manual to change the "K factor" for the flow meter.
As Kirk mentioned, the FuelScan gives me a much more comfortable feeling when flying the 150/150. I typically see 7gph (unless I'm flying with Poobs, then it is about 4gph, while doing S-Turns, while the flaps are down, with the doors open, hanging on the edge of stall) and can feel better about stretching my legs a bit. I don't challenge the fuel envelope but I don't get as nervous as I used to.
