Fuel Tank Level

[RLCarter]

4 minutes ago, MooneyMitch said:

Alright, I’m starting to laugh now!  This thread is headed somewhere else ......

yep, down the pooer.......

[jaylw314]

2 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

While I haven’t pooped my airplane (yet), my wife and I have changed 2 poo diapers on the 4 hr flight between Spokane and grandmas house in Carson City.  It’s an adventure. Sprawled out child across laps in the front seat, wipes, diapers, and yes, poo.  We’ve been flying our twins since they were a couple months old.  The pilot window is placarded at 140mph, it’s just big enough, and the landlubbers should be real happy that theres no civilization or even roads over Eastern Oregon and northern Nevada.  I bag the pee diapers because I love Mother Earth, but by god, you’ve got to draw the line somewhere in these tiny airplanes!

Ewww!  You win 

[RogueOne]

19 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

That's why you do it enough times until it becomes a non-event and poo is not triggered. 

Poo in an airplane is never a good thing. You want to calm, cool, and very collected at all times. It was scary the first time, but after a few times one comes to realize it's really no big deal. 

My plane “stumbles” everytime I do a “Big Pull” lean.  

There is an old thread with my fuel stick on it.  The spiraling nightmare that followed is something I do not wish to relive again.  Have fun everyone.

[Immelman]

18 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

While I haven’t pooped my airplane (yet), my wife and I have changed 2 poo diapers on the 4 hr flight between Spokane and grandmas house in Carson City.  It’s an adventure. Sprawled out child across laps in the front seat, wipes, diapers, and yes, poo.  We’ve been flying our twins since they were a couple months old.  The pilot window is placarded at 140mph, it’s just big enough, and the landlubbers should be real happy that theres no civilization or even roads over Eastern Oregon and northern Nevada.  I bag the pee diapers because I love Mother Earth, but by god, you’ve got to draw the line somewhere in these tiny airplanes!

I fly an airplane for a living equipped with 3 lavatories (the super-stretch edition has a bonus for a total of 4) and try to avoid going #2 in the airplane. at all costs... but a few times a year, guess what stuff happens.

But with that said, running a tank dry.... definitely something to only do if you're comfortable. And at least in my E, if done right (switch at the first twich of the fuel pressure gauge) there is no stumble or power loss. It is a non event IF you have a co-pilot you can ask to watch the fuel pressure for a while. It is not something I have done often, but it really helped us get max range out of the airplane... AND calibrate my dip-stick so I knew how much *usable* fuel was in there, which is the only kind of fuel I care about unless we're draining the tank to patch a leak ;-)

Edited September 27, 2019 by Immelman

[Bob_Belville]

Calibrated dip stick? I inherited one from the previous owner. Have no use for it now... why you say? 

https://ciescorp.net/

[corn_flake]

Buy http://fuelstik.com/ like someone else mentioned.  

Here is the paper insert.  Cut it off at the line below 4 and make sure the top of the paper line up with the top of the inside tube.  Use a dark color yard stick to verify you have the paper set at the right height.  

Mooney M20E Fuel Stick.docx Mooney M20E Fuel Measurement.xlsx

[carusoam]

sort of a summary...

1) calibrated fuel sticks work and are cheap!

2) Actual fuel gauges work, need to be calibrated every decade or so, but aren’t very accurate...

3) Wing mounted dial fuel gauges work well, can be added, might be found pre-owned... I  use mine...

4) Cies gauges, because every Forever-plane deserves them... the ultimate in precision and accuracy, but still not perfect...

 

remember filling on a level surface will have the Mooney on a nose-up attitude... some Mooneys are more nose up than others...

Best regards,

-a-

[Pete 379]

Even though I have a JPI 930 (which I love) I still rely on my fuel stick..which every gas station still relies on to this day. I drained both tanks then poured one gallon at a time back in each tank and methodically marked the stick each time until full. To this day, that stick before each flight during preflight is one of the the things I rely on most because the stick doesn’t lie. It’s worth the effort in my opinion.

[MikeOH]

I didn't find in necessary to run a tank dry to make my calibrated fuel stick.  I just ran the tank down to where I could add at least 25 gallons (32 gallon pre side).  I marked the stick, then added five gallons at a time, and marked, until topped off.  Sure, I can't accurately measure the last 7 gallons, but I always land with at least an hour fuel which is roughly 10 gallons.  So, the last 7 in each side will give me something over an hour total; works for me.

Edited October 11, 2019 by MikeOH