Fuel Mismanagement Starts Here — The Timer You Forgot to Hit

Oct 08, 2025

Every helicopter pilot learns fuel management, but somewhere along the way, the discipline of tracking time in flight has started to fade.

We’re talking about something simple — pressing the timer at engine start, noting your burn rate, and keeping track every 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes. It’s old-school, yes. But it’s also saved lives.

In today’s episode, Kenny Keller revisits a lesson too many modern pilots are forgetting — one that’s still costing check-rides, and in the worst cases, costing pilots their lives.



What Happened to the Clock?

Years ago, every instructor drilled the habit into their students:

“Oil pressure up? Timer on.”

That simple routine taught pilots to think ahead, plan diversions, and calculate fuel with confidence.

But over the past few years, Kenny’s seen more and more students — even commercial-level pilots — showing up to their Final Approach Course without this habit.
Some rely solely on digital fuel gauges or iPad estimates. Others admit they’ve never been taught to start a timer at all.

It’s not just a missed step. It’s a dangerous one.


15-30-45-60 — The Math That Still Works

Kenny’s longtime DPE, Gerry Ventrella, has said it for years:

“The diversion is where most pilots bust their check-rides.”

Why? Because without active time tracking, fuel math becomes guesswork.

By checking at 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes, a pilot knows exactly how much fuel has burned, what’s remaining, and whether the diversion still makes sense.
It’s not complicated math — but it’s critical awareness.

When the timer isn’t started, the entire system breaks down.


When Pilots Stop Timing, They Start Failing

During recent check-ride preps, Kenny has noticed a clear trend:
The more reliant a pilot becomes on automation, the more their awareness fades.

Fuel exhaustion and starvation remain among the leading causes of helicopter accidents each year.
Running out of fuel isn’t just a mistake — it’s preventable tragedy.
And it starts with something as small as forgetting to start a timer.



Old-School Habits That Still Save Lives

Some habits aren’t outdated — they’re timeless.

That’s why at H.O.G.S., we teach students to go back to basics.
Start the timer. Track your burn. Check your math.
Don’t let the simplicity fool you — that’s what keeps you sharp, aware, and safe.

Because at the end of the day, technology can fail, gauges can glitch, and fuel doesn’t forgive mistakes.


Finish Strong with the Final Approach Course

If you’re working toward your next rating and want to make sure your training, procedures, and check-ride habits are solid, our Final Approach Course is built to get you there.

📍 Now booking for October.
👉 Visit FinalApproachCourse.com or email [email protected] to reserve your spot.