Message-ID: <3B364EAB.E6DBAEB4@regandesigns.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2001 13:33:47 -0700
From: "Hamid A. Wasti" <hamid@regandesigns.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Subject: Re: Useable fuel
References: <9c.fd731a2.28674c24@aol.com>
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Reply-To: lancair.list@olsusa.com

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PatHABU@aol.com wrote:

> The very meaningful discussions on useable fuel makes me happy that I have
> the old fashioned header tank with a sight gage tube in my LNC2.  Pat Halloran

Pat,

No offense intended, but the header tank does not eliminate many of the problems
that we are discussing regarding wing tanks.  As you start getting down to the
last few gallons in your header tank, do you know for sure at what level your
tanks will stop feeding the engine?  Do you know for sure at what level you risk
unporting in steep turns, nose high or low attitude or uncoordinated flight like a
sideslip or forward slip on final?  The sight gauge in and of itself does not tell
you anything about how low you can get before running into trouble.  If anything,
from your post, it appears that it may instill a false sense of security.

Also, even if you a perfectly calibrated and understood header tank, it would
still be prudent to figure out the actual capacity in your wing tanks.  Think of
this scenario:  You go to fill your header tank from your wing tanks which you
believe to have a bunch of fuel.  In reality the wing tanks quit after only few
quarts.  Now you are looking at only the fuel remaining in your header tank as the
total available fuel to get you from where you are to a suitable airport.  While
this is certainly not the same level of emergency as running out of fuel on final,
you certainly have a crisis at your hands.

Hamid


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