G'day Alvin & Welcome to the group !
(I'm down here in OZ BTW - ( that's "by the way" Jean !)
It's "standard practise" in just about everything flying - to take
off on BOTH tanks, and once you are at your cruising altitude you
then switch to the fullest tank ONLY for the first half an hours'
flight, ... then back to the other tank for the next half an
hours' flight, and so on & so on ... and then BOTH tanks back on
for landing - (just in case you need full power / go around )
This means that if "something happens" to the flow rate of one
tank (for whatever reason) - you KNOW that the other side WILL
flow - because it WAS running fine a half an hour ago !)
IE: Here's a "both taps open" scenario ....
Your happily flying along with BOTH valves open ..... and
unbeknownst to you "something" has happened to one of the tanks -
call it "tank A" and you either aren't watching your fuel gauges,
OR, they are not indicating correctly .... or, you just don't
notice the lack of change in the tank level for whatever reason ...
Anyway , ... "Tank A" runs out of fuel - worked up a vacuum in
it due to a blockage in the vent system, dead bug jammed in the
feed line, lack of fossilised fuel deposits - whatever .... BUT,
... the engine still runs OK - because "tank B" is still feeding
it ! ....
BUT - when "tank B" runs out / gets used up / has a separate
problem & the engine starts to splutter through fuel starvation
and STOPS ...
You think "WHATTHE$#@& !?!?!?!?!?" - WHY ?!?
a) In your PANIC, you don't know which tank is the problem tank if
they were both open
b) Even if the gauge is telling you "Tank A" has fuel IN IT ... it
still isn't going to give it to you !
c) You now have a FORCED LANDING situation on your hands !
BUT ...
However - If you were running a different tank every half an hour -
and then IF one tank developed a problem - you could switch to
the other tank an KNOW that it IS going to give you what was in it !
That's why we alternate the tank feeds
Hope this helps
Rick "Biggus" Harper
541R
PS : Please excuse my "odd" spelling .... we use English here in
Australia
----- Original Message -----
From: Alvin and Glenys Adams
To: rebel
Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2007 8:57 AM
Subject: [rebel-builders] Fuel Tanks
I read the comments on the fuel system with great interest.Not
fond off the fuel system on the rebel as i have created a bad
habit off not wanting to carry around uncessary pounds off
fuel,would rather carry items that i need.What would be the
practical reason to shut off either off your fuel valves ever
while flying.
This is agreat site.
regards: alvin rebel 776 40 Hrs 1000hrs on PA-11
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