Fuel overflow vent if left full overnight

[rdarby]

On the Sportstar SL there are tanks in each wing. On the end of the wing is a little tube for venting overflow.

 

How does this work? If I park on a slope with a full tank, will it drain out?

 

I am planning an overnight trip and want to fill up that night for an early morning start, but I'm worried I'm going to vent all the fuel.

 

Does anyone know the intracisies of the vent?

 

Thanks

 

Ryan

 

 

[Ultralights]

if the tanks cross feed, or the engine draws fuel from both tanks at once, then yes, draining a significant amount when parked on a slope with full tanks will happen. to stop it, turn the fuel taps OFF, but remember to OPEN them when you start up and again at runups. nothing more embarrasing than having a fuel starvation induced engine failure just as you rotate at take off, or worse, a minute later

 

 

[kgwilson]

Great advice David but I'd never park on a slop. It is usually smelly and no matter how much fuel you have left it won't get the aircraft out of the slop.

 

 

[naremman]

On the Sportstar SL there are tanks in each wing. On the end of the wing is a little tube for venting overflow.How does this work? If I park on a slope with a full tank, will it drain out?

 

I am planning an overnight trip and want to fill up that night for an early morning start, but I'm worried I'm going to vent all the fuel.

 

Does anyone know the intracisies of the vent?

 

Thanks

 

Ryan

Always good to fully understand the layout of the fuel sysytem on any aircraft that you operate.

 

Can remember many moons ago, not long after getting my PPL licence taking a PA-28 180 up to the Kimberlies. Refueled at Broome late in the afternoon and parked on uneven ground. Fuel selector placed in the OFF position. Next morning on pre flight noted one tank down just enought to cause concern. Felt like a bit of a ass asking the refueller to come out to refuel, which turned out to be a surprising 8 gallons.

 

Ventured out to Fitzroy Crossing quite easily, stayed the night, and slogged back to Broome in late Wet conditions with multiple diversions.

 

That 8 gallons meant the difference of me choosing where I landed, or having the decision made for me!!

 

When I returned from my 30 hour sojourn it was an interesting debfief with my instructor. He had taught me many things. I had learnt heaps!!

 

Moral of the story: Fly a Victa Airtourer. One tank, so no crossfeed problem, AND NEVER TURN THE FUEL SELECTOER OFF.

 

 

[SilverWing]

The fuel selector in the wing-tank SportStar is 'Right' 'Left' or 'Off'. There is no 'Both' position. All the positions have detents and you cannot inadvertently turn off the fuel - it has a locking device to stop this. As a result, unless the slope is very steep, fuel should not drain out of the wing tip vent whatever the position of the fuel selector. However, it is good practice in any aircraft to select 'Off' when parking for any length of time - eg an hour or two and certainly overnight.

 

 

[rdarby]

So it seems that you won't loose the hig tank corss feeding into the lower one and on to the ground. But like anything, the lower tank can drain out if it's on a slope. Air comes in the fuel cap, and fuel flows out the overflow. I suppose that flying wing low would cause the same problem. So maybe refuel in the morning. Ryan

 

 

[Jabiru Phil]

Been caught a couple of times with uneven ground after refueling. tell tale sign was the blue stain on wing and flap.

 

Mostly not possible to refuel before early takeoff.

 

I replaced the O rings under the vents to give me a couple of inches leeway but still overflows on uneven ground.

 

I guess that the fuel heats up and expands and coupled with the slopes encounted causes the problem.

 

I now only fill to the tabs, probably only 5-6 lts a tank unless I need the extra for longer legs.

 

I used to have a 230 home built that had a tap for each tank, turning off stopped the cross feed problems. The factory built has no wing tank taps, just a main on off tap. Much better for safety I reckon but you must have even ground.

 

Phil

 

 

[turboplanner]

Moral of the story: Fly a Victa Airtourer. One tank, so no crossfeed problem, AND NEVER TURN THE FUEL SELECTOER OFF.

So it was YOU!

 

In my early Airtourer days I was flying a couple of times a week early morning and we were held up one morning.

 

Finally the Instructor said "Off you go and preflight the aircraft"

 

I ran out, pre-flighted, and had the pre-start sequence finished to "start" by the time he got in.

 

Off we went on the long Moorabbin taxy, and we were almost at the holding bay when the engine cut out.

 

"What happened?" I asked

 

"You're the pilot" he replied (Lesson 1 - you're going to take a lot longer to react when hit by surprise)

 

So, "Fuel?, Oh Shit!!, how could it be turned off???

 

"Probably the last person last night was in a hurry to get in and lock up and forgot to turn it off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"You raced out here, turned the quadrant switch without looking as you always do, and turned the fuel off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"If we'd been at a Country strip, we'd be in a paddock by now" said the Instructor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lifetime lesson learned.