Comments on: Fuel Rules

By: Bruce Landsberg

Bruce Landsberg — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 20:05:14 +0000

Mike….

When we started doing the PSAs the iPad was still a gleam in Steve Jobs eye. All new ASI content will be fully iPad/iPhone compatible. So we’re pedaling as fast as we can but funding and staffing realities make it impossible to change all of the great Flash content immediately.

I should have mentioned that. Thanks for the reminder.

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 03:46:33 +0000

Bruce – I tried looking at the two pilot safety announcements you highlited on my iPad. They don’t work. Given the prevalence of iPads and iPhones, and the aviation a community’s embracing of them, why are ASI videos NOT encoded to work on Apple devices???

By: Charlie Kemp

Charlie Kemp — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 17:30:41 +0000

I have been fly for 57 years and am still at it. There is no excuse for running out of fuel unless there is a unknown leak and it drained out. The old say “Leave yourself an out.” Is as true today as when it was first said. The problem is so many times pilots set a destination and refuse to stop until they get there. That is rigid thinking that will get you killed. If you know you are going to arrive at your destination with less that 45 minutes reserve in daylight and 1 hour at dark, then stop and get fuel. It will give you a break and not take that long to save your life. Look in the tanks , check the amount with your totalizer if you have one against the burn. When you refuel, check how much each tank takes vs the amount you thought the burn was. That way you will get a good picture if the totalizer is correct and the real burn of the engine. The same applies to bad weather. Is getting there worth getting killed.

By: Scott Philiben

Scott Philiben — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 04:19:47 +0000

@Kieth – I cal BS – filling full fuel and calling it “MANAGEMENT” is not a plan for mixed GA aircraft operation and cross country flying. In most cases it is fa recipe for flying “OVER -GROSS” to instill some level of fuel quantity confidence in a large disregard to the capability of the aircraft.

You have reduced the equation to …. . I know the tank holds “X” gallons and the plane burns “Y” gallons. I doubt you take off with anything less than full fuel.

A fuel totalizer provides you the same thing. . What you really want to know is what is still in your tank – and you don’t have a tool to do that in flight.

What is needed is accurate fuel gauges in this the GA level of aircraft – the concept is not un-approachable or technologically unfeasible, it’s just not common.

By: Keith Wood

Keith Wood — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 18:45:11 +0000

The operative word is “MANAGEMENT.”

I plan flights to put me on the ground with at least 1/3 fuel left in every tank. Yes, that means shorter legs and more time “wasted” in the pattern and refueling somewhere. Once in a while, it means RON somewhere like Tulelake, CA, when the FBO is closed on a Sunday afternoon.

What is DOESN’T mean is having to explain myself to the Highway Patrol — or the ambulance attendants — because I believed faulty indicators, used more fuel than expected, or had a WX divert.

So that means the time isn’t really wasted.

By: Robert Jans

Robert Jans — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 18:11:05 +0000

Yeah I had a few closer than comfort flights with regard to fuel. These were all over water flights: there is no alternative: you get there or … you don’t. I have about 10 non-stop 611 nm flights in my logbook with my C-172 with long range tanks, that is 54 glns, ~52 useable. What do you do when weather shows up plus headwinds well beyond the point of no return? I always made it, obviously, but sometimes you get that spooky thought “Will I make it?” It appeared that my planning was always right but sometimes more right than other.

By: Scott Philiben

Scott Philiben — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:14:32 +0000

Several comments – The technology for fuel level senders in legacy aircraft renders mid level fuel level difficult, (The reason to carry a stick) It can give good indication at the ends – this is a component of geometry. Knowing that there was some very insightful intelligence applied to the FARs and the prior CARS – I believe this is the background behind the regulation – the realization that mid level readings with the technology available were just not probable. – Part of this was the universal use of automotive senders senders that were made to measure 15 gallons applied to a shallower tank with more fuel.

Mooney introduced the warning light –

There is technology that provides good if not excellent readings in aircraft – and throughout throughout the full tank range – Go fly a brand new 2012 / 2013 Cirrus and let us know.

By: Gary Daniel

Gary Daniel — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:47:59 +0000

My wife and I left Friday from Martin State for a long weekend in Charleston,SC. that same weekend. Knowing there was a warm front moving up the east coast I checked the TAF’s for MTN and nearby airports midday Saturday. The trend for Sunday was low IFR conditions so we packed up and returned Saturday afternoon. On the return flight we were on top of a low cloud deck from mid NC to Patuxent River that was reported tops at 1200. This area was obviously associated with the warm front that moved into the MD/DE area Sunday.
It was chilling when I read about the accident knowing what conditions the pilot faced, especially being recently insturment quailified. Just makes one wonder what his prefligt planning and inflight updates intailed. From what I’ve read he was a very well respected doctor. Sad.