Flying is an art, with a little bit of science thrown in. But that science doesn't have to be intimidating if we apply a few rules of thumb. Playing the numbers game— striving to nail airspeeds, fuel consumption, ETAs, and takeoff and landing distances, can be one of the more satisfying parts of flying. For example, it's gratifying to know we can hold 120 KIAS and the glideslope all the way to decision height and then slide the mains onto the runway. But sometimes, we just want to go fly without all the hassle. Sure, there must be sufficient fuel in the tanks and we still have to have something in the way of a plan before firewalling the throttle, but sometimes we can get by without a full-blown written flight plan by using some approximate numbers.
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