GA Accidents-Fuel

[bonal]

Short of a fuel leak there is no reason to ever run out of fuel. An o360 would have to be running like crap if it were to use more than a tiny increase in fuel burn since fuel air mixture must be consistent, something the pilot would notice. My simple O360 burns a very consistent amount of fuel. For example a 7500 foot climb and an hour and fourty minute total time burned 18 gallons exactly as planned. Our 3 hour leg we go one hour back and forth always starting on the last tank used since I know it was flowing. Left right left then at my normal three hour point we were 20 minutes to home and I still had a certain one plus hour remaining on the right. I hold 27 per side and have never averaged more than 10 gph total including a long climb. Honestly if you really wanted a cheap safety fuel feature mount an automotive style backup camera under the nose facing back so you could monitor for fuel leaks as you fly.

[bonal]

Oops I said I was out, but did not say over and out.

[Yetti]

Your logic path not really worky

"Reinforcement of checking starting fuel value (use of a stick)  and planning are the two tools of preventing this incident from occurring "

Not Reinforcement.  This is the primary way to know if you will run out of fuel.  Gauges are secondary.  I fly by sound of the engine as much as by gauges.

 

"Aircraft with a digital fuel quantity systems have to date - suffered zero fuel starvation / exhaustion events.  "

What percentage of the GA fleet has digital gauges?  Very small so not statistically relevant statement.  And I do recall several Commercial planes with "good" fuel gauges that had to do a dead stick landing due to no fuel.  Wikapedia is your friend here

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_starvation

 

"It may be, but not proven at this time,  that quality fuel indication may be the method that allows good pilots better tools and will provide a timely warning assist those careless pilots an opportunity to correct the preflight mistakes they may have made. Most new aircraft delivered have digital fuel quantity systems, and soon nearly all new aircraft will have a digital fuel quantity systems. If the current trend of no fuel starvation with digital fuel indication continues - fuel related accidents will go down. "

Fuel gauges are secondary teaching people to rely on the stick and knowing the burn and knowing how long they are in the air is the key to not having the fan quit.

[MyNameIsNobody]

Cheated DEATH again Friday and today.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, MyNameIsNobody said:

Cheated DEATH again Friday and today.

I hope you didn't use a cellulose fuel gauge.

Clarence

[Bob - S50]

23 hours ago, bonal said:

Bob, very good points but the thing is I know my gauges are lying and any device can malfunction if you have a fuel loss and your true fully accurate gauge also fails your still in the same boat. Unfortunately there is no way to guarantee a perfect solution. I would love to have an accurate system but in my case fuel gauge is like number 100 on the list and I'm on number ?

Bonal,

I understand.  The Cies floats are not cheap.  If you prefer to spend your money elsewhere, I understand that too.  However, you don't need to try and justify your decision, I for one will accept that you and many others place accurate fuel gauges a bit further down the upgrade list than I do.

Bob

 

[Guest]

If we could make the tanks out with see through aluminum, we would be all set.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_oxynitride

Clarence

Edited July 5, 2016 by M20Doc

[fuellevel]

M20Doc:     I used the stuff for a window on a Stellarator Plasma Physics Device in college 

I wholly believe we achieve the same result at a far far lower cost.

----------------------------------------------------------------

I spent the day discussing fuel quantity in GA with the FAA Small AIrcraft Directorate and the Seattle Aircraft Certification Office 

If you believe my opinion on fuel quantity accuracy to be - "Out there"  

You should have been a fly on the window here.  

 

 

[fuellevel]

Fuel Gauge Video

[TWinter]

I had committed to giving these guys a try with their new senders since I was having a new JPI installed. We played a bunch of computer tag, but never actually talked with them other than PM exchanges here on MS. Thought it was a done deal and anxious to give report, he said they were built. We had serious communication breakdowns. I'd suggest phone-calls. Better luck to the next prospective Mooniac. I guess I'll use my existing ones. Just thought I'd give a PIREP and slight bit of frustration.

 

-Tom

[1524J]

47 minutes ago, TWinter said:

I had committed to giving these guys a try with their new senders since I was having a new JPI installed. We played a bunch of computer tag, but never actually talked with them other than PM exchanges here on MS. Thought it was a done deal and anxious to give report, he said they were built. We had serious communication breakdowns. I'd suggest phone-calls. Better luck to the next prospective Mooniac. I guess I'll use my existing ones. Just thought I'd give a PIREP and slight bit of frustration.

 

-Tom

Also willing to give these senders a shot since I've already installed a digital fuel gauge but still had the resistor senders. Sent them a message July 6th, no reply. No reply = No sale. Business must be good when you can turn away customers. 

[1524J]

To be fair, fuellevel did respond to my post above with his contact info and website address. Hopefully Tom has heard from him also.

[TWinter]

14 hours ago, 1524J said:

To be fair, fuellevel did respond to my post above with his contact info and website address. Hopefully Tom has heard from him also.

After our last exchange of PMs I won't hold my breath..

[MyNameIsNobody]

Wow.

[Marauder]

Wow.

Yeah, double Wow.

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