Every drop of usable fuel.

[adrian222]

Came across this interesting way of using all your fuel.

 

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FyfE1v65fNZI&h=ATPkyA2CsBq7sl-gOOZmz4yA2ZAgZ-rwY-_5mKrlUi6K41l8b_gPtV3X1z1VSxHM3kn05bxibsfCuQFGgae_pYD91xhmFkhhZQF7te7s7UKcBYW9N9y4Ixr8EzEY8rY4UxUyURcD4ahH1NXPRtJee1SHh6g4W-gB1-_0c0zDwgUXSSe8YQQ5PdhgtwFs0htYnco3P6Lox6fNHVi-mJK2_IGW67K90H6RogydCFrWQghEE5_rInCcvtjV692SvZv_

 

Adrian.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

they're pretty standard on most internal fuel pumps these days

 

 

[rollerball]

If you need something to suck up the last few tiny drops of fuel in your tank, methinks you're flying a bit too close to the wind. Allowing for inadequate fuel reserves is one of the most scary things you can do, as I know to my cost.

 

Back in the 80s I was a member of a Cherokee 180 syndicate and used to fly it occasionally from Biggin Hill to Zurich on business with the costs being met by my then employer (BA Club Class fare). So it was a good opportunity to take my now ex-wife along, put her into a separate hotel to the one I had to go to for business reasons and then take a couple days holiday in Zurich before heading off back home.

 

On the day in question I'd filed my flight plan and got held up - by nearly an hour - but didn't want to mess around cancelling and refiling it. And then, of course, there were stronger than expected headwinds, so I upped the engine revs a bit to stay within the flight plan ETA. My wife kept pointing out during the flight how quickly the gauges were dropping, but me being the 'experienced' aviator that I was airily dismissed her concerns, saying that aircraft aren't like cars and that we do detailed fuel calculations so as to avoid any problems.

 

My approach into Zurich was via Bremgarten in the SW of the city where on previous occasions I'd had to hold before receiving clearance. Luckily that day I was cleared straight in and tracked across the city centre towards the airport where I landed safely and followed the Follow Me to GA parking, where I left the aircraft until the Monday morning.

 

When I came to refuel I found that from the volume of fuel that I took on board I had used fuel from the wing tanks that is described in the Pilot's Operating Manual as unusable. I was horrified when I thought what could have happened during the last few minutes of my flight.

 

From that day to this I can say with hand on heart that I've never, ever overstretched my fuel reserves.

 

 

[facthunter]

Fuel management used to be a required 100% to PASS. There's a reason for that. Same with Weight and Balance. . With fuel it's better to go somewhere you didn't intend to with the engines running than pressing on HOPING they won't stop. Nev

 

 

[Downunder]

The small micron size with these things is a bit concerning.

 

They are basically a filter also.

 

One that's hard to check, hard to replace and non-cleanable. That's my concern, especially if a smaller unit was used.

 

 

[rollerball]

I won't hog this thread which I apologise for already changing the direction of a bit but fuel management is a subject very close to my heart.

 

At around the time I mentioned in my earlier post there's a confirmed story of 4 folks in a Cherokee from Biggin who arrived later than expected in Amsterdam I think it was. The PIC decided not to refuel because he wanted to get back to Biggin before it closed and so set off for home with only partial tanks.

 

He was in radio contact with ATC right until the aircraft hit the water and neither it nor its occupants were ever located.

 

As I say, sorry for the thread drift but I think it's a lesson that new pilots need to take on board - and old ones often become a little bit blase about.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

The small micron size with these things is a bit concerning.They are basically a filter also.

One that's hard to check, hard to replace and non-cleanable. That's my concern, especially if a smaller unit was used.

This is how fuel injection needs to be setup, prefilter is to protect the fuel pump and fine particle filter

 

 

[spacesailor]

But with an old type carbie, with fairly large jet size, and gravity feed, why put a micron sized filter in-front of tank filter and sediment-bowl filter, after the finest filter (micron) there will only be clean fuel down-stream!.

 

Sort out "gravel/sand & in correct order to get the most life from filters, unless just one only.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[fly_tornado]

fuel injection systems don't like ingesting air due to its compressibility

 

 

[Erik Snyman]

If you need something to suck up the last few tiny drops of fuel in your tank, methinks you're flying a bit too close to the wind. Allowing for inadequate fuel reserves is one of the most scary things you can do, as I know to my cost.Back in the 80s I was a member of a Cherokee 180 syndicate and used to fly it occasionally from Biggin Hill to Zurich on business with the costs being met by my then employer (BA Club Class fare). So it was a good opportunity to take my now ex-wife along, put her into a separate hotel to the one I had to go to for business reasons and then take a couple days holiday in Zurich before heading off back home.

 

On the day in question I'd filed my flight plan and got held up - by nearly an hour - but didn't want to mess around cancelling and refiling it. And then, of course, there were stronger than expected headwinds, so I upped the engine revs a bit to stay within the flight plan ETA. My wife kept pointing out during the flight how quickly the gauges were dropping, but me being the 'experienced' aviator that I was airily dismissed her concerns, saying that aircraft aren't like cars and that we do detailed fuel calculations so as to avoid any problems.

 

My approach into Zurich was via Bremgarten in the SW of the city where on previous occasions I'd had to hold before receiving clearance. Luckily that day I was cleared straight in and tracked across the city centre towards the airport where I landed safely and followed the Follow Me to GA parking, where I left the aircraft until the Monday morning.

 

When I came to refuel I found that from the volume of fuel that I took on board I had used fuel from the wing tanks that is described in the Pilot's Operating Manual as unusable. I was horrified when I thought what could have happened during the last few minutes of my flight.

 

From that day to this I can say with hand on heart that I've never, ever overstretched my fuel reserves.

I agree 100% , Rollerball. I NEVER leave my base without full tanks, EVER. Reminds me of the three useless things in flying: Sky above you, runway behind you, and the fuel you left in the bowser.

Erik in Oz.

 

 

[Pearo]

I agree 100% , Rollerball. I NEVER leave my base without full tanks, EVER. Reminds me of the three useless things in flying: Sky above you, runway behind you, and the fuel you left in the bowser.Erik in Oz.

I quite regularly leave without full tanks. If I have a full load of pax, I cant have full tanks, but rest assured my fuel planning is meticulous and I am constantly calculating my fuel burn in flight and cross checking to the gauges.

 

 

[facthunter]

You need a positive way of determining fuel in tanks. Empty you know. Add known quantity. Full, you should know if you've set up, checked and calibrated as you should. You could remove a known quantity also to reliably get your figure.. You might have accurately marked calibrated levels (for a particular aircraft attitude) on a see through tank.. If it's not long and thin it 's accurate because it's a direct reading.

 

Proven dipstick (for your plane) Again for a stipulated attitude of the plane when checking.. Gauge readings alone are not acceptable .in practically all applications. They are a bit of a guide when you are flying. Inherent in your assessment must be a double check or a very fixed start point. ie Tanks full.

 

Always starting with full tanks may not be possible. You might exceed a weight limit.

 

In the olden days schools used to fill tanks to the brim after each days flying to prevent condensation overnight. for training aircraft. Those types weren't weight critical as far as payload is concerned normally. High , short and hot airfields excepted. Nev

 

 

[Phil Perry]

You need a positive way of determining fuel in tanks. Empty you know. Add known quantity. Full, you should know if you've set up, checked and calibrated as you should. You could remove a known quantity also to reliably get your figure.. You might have accurately marked calibrated levels (for a particular aircraft attitude) on a see through tank.. If it's not long and thin it 's accurate because it's a direct reading.Proven dipstick (for your plane) Again for a stipulated attitude of the plane when checking.. Gauge readings alone are not acceptable .in practically all applications. They are a bit of a guide when you are flying. Inherent in your assessment must be a double check or a very fixed start point. ie Tanks full.

Always starting with full tanks may not be possible. You might exceed a weight limit.

 

In the olden days schools used to fill tanks to the brim after each days flying to prevent condensation overnight. for training aircraft. Those types weren't weight critical as far as payload is concerned normally. High , short and hot airfields excepted. Nev

I got a right Rollocking for filling a C-150 to the brim at Berwick one time. . .Instructor Alan B warned me about possible condensation in the tanks if I didn't,. . .but the overspill grass parking area was not level, and the Aircraft was parked slightly wing down towards the fuel breather pipe. . . . .Not sure how much fuel crossfed onto the grass. . . .

 

 

[facthunter]

Filling to the top at the end of the day was common back then in flying schools. It's NOT practical in many other aspects of flying as Max weight can be exceeded if there are limiting conditions possible.. Chipmunk and Tiger moth didn't have much worry that way.. Having a hangar full of fuelled up planes means if it burns it really will.. A plane not laterally level will vent as many of the bigger stuff will when taxiing around bends if you don't do it very slowly. Nev

 

 

[Gravity]

I use a simple wood notched dowel to gauge how much gas I have onboard b4 I launch, idiot proof I rarely launch with full tanks, burn more fuel to carry more fuel. I plan though using a higher than known FF, works for me.

 

 

[facthunter]

A proven working system for fuel management . No guesswork. That's the go. You can still get a fuel leak an engine fault that increases fuel use or an stronger headwind. If you notice you are low(er) on fuel than you want to be, pick the best alternative and land while you still have the engine running is better than HOPING it will keep going to the original destination.drome. Nev