So I'm getting back into BMS and while running a mission the other night, I spent a little more fuel and time around the target area than expected and found myself wondering if I had the fuel to make it back from where I was. I looked through all the manuals for some sort of bingo profile and found nothing of the sort. Am I missing it, or an equivalent, somewhere in the documents?

(Just to clarify, bingo profile should tell you: Given a drag index and distance to cover, speed to climb, at what altitude and speed you should cruise, when, in NM, and at what speed you should descend, and how much fuel it will require.)

Here's an example of one for the F-14:

I believe the F-16 has something like this built in already with the ICP and DED. I can't remember exactly which button it was, but I want to say it was the 5 or 9 button on the ICP would cycle info on the DED and would give you fuel status to a selected waypoint with the best altitude and would give you the remaining fuel you currently have when reaching that waypoint. Hope this helps a little or can at least point you in the right direction on what to look up in the manual.

Spyder is right, you can use CRUS button on ICP to display the information on DED.

Realistically in the USAF there is a minimum fuel state "stabilized on the final approach segment" which basically means landing fuel. From memory they are 800lbs BLK3X, 1000lbs BLK4X, 1200lbs BLK5X. If you ever get to a state lower than these numbers (or expect to) it's technically a fuel emergency.

The other measure is you should always have onboard enough fuel to complete your route or abort and divert from home plate to alternate and have 45min of fuel on top of that. And AAR you plan to do in the future don't count.

I don't know the rule of thumb by heart but I believe one should expect 15 lbs/nm at cruise speed and altitude. In ideal conditions I think you can get that under 10. Low altitude high speed is significantly more. In combat conditions you'll burn fuel like you're on fire.

Consider the 370 gallon tanks welded to STA 4/8. Never leave the ground without them.

Learn the takeoff climb IAS/Mach numbers for drag indexes in 50 increments from 0 to 300. Use the range and endurance carets when timing permits. A pound saved is a pound earned.

The CRUS HOME profile is great for saving fuel but dreadfully boring. A 205 KIAS glide at idle thrust from 36,000' is enough to drive a saint insane. Counter intuitively an unloaded dive up to climb speed followed by a MIL climb using the carets uses the least fuel. HOME page is nice to suggest an optimum cruise altitude for long trips.

Over time you get a feel for how much fuel is time to go home in Korea theater. 3000 lbs is moderate. 2000 is for close to home and 4000 for deeper missions is about right. With patience and technique it takes very little fuel to RTB if you start >20,000'. Check your bingo page after landing and adjust your habits if you land with < 1500lbs.

For detailed fuel planning check out F-16C/D SUPPLEMENTAL FLIGHT MANUAL T.O. GR1F-16CJ-1-1 (Google) Specifically, Appendix A, Sec. 8

Great guys, thanks!