Fuel exists, and most builds never touch it. Infinite fuel can be enabled, and that setting is the normal way to play. Turn it off only when you want a limited-range vehicle.
What burns fuel
All propellers, jet engines, and rocket engines consume fuel while they make thrust. Two parts supply it:
- Fuel Tank holds 100.
- Fuel Tank Beam holds 450.
They are the parts that interact with the map's fuel pumps. A build with no tank and infinite fuel disabled cannot keep those engines running.
Where the pumps are
Pumps are map objects, not parts you place. Documented pumps include the pier, also called the dock, and the railroad platforms. There is also a pump near the train station. The decorative tanks standing at the airport are not pumps. Do not park on those and wait for a refill.
Rail spawn is the practical place to test a fueled train or a long vehicle that can reach a platform. The gap between the rails is described as 7 blocks wide. Few players actually spawn there, because most builds are not trains.
PvP can remove a pump
Fuel pumps can be destroyed by PvP weapons such as rockets. If a pump is gone, it is not a bug in your tank. Change server or wait for the map object to return. Your own Fuel Tank parts are separate from those map pumps.
Leave infinite fuel on while you learn wings and folding. Add tanks after the vehicle already flies, then disable the setting and confirm the engines die when the tank number reaches zero.