On 22-Jan-2004, "Mike Rapoport" wrote:

The real question that I was trying to get at is whether 1000lb and full
fuel are sensible criteria.
I would say that an airplane meeting those specs should have larger tanks.


Exactly!

Many pilots say they don't need “extra” range because they can tolerate only
so many hours on a given flight leg. I'll bet these pilots are mostly
non-instrument rated, because where the “extra” range really makes a
difference is in meeting the IFR alternate and reserve requirements. Knock
a couple of hours off of a seemingly generous 5 hour endurance and IFR range
suddenly becomes a very limiting 3 hours.

Remember, on a flight of 600 nm, a 135 kt. airplane that can make it
non-stop will about as fast as a 175 kt. airplane that can't.

---Elliott Drucker