Message-ID: <3B3C762E.9C5C13F2@regandesigns.com>
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 07:35:58 -0500
From: Brent Regan <Brent@regandesigns.com>
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To: Lancair List <lancair.list@olsusa.com>
Subject: RE: An update on the investigation of N424E Crash.
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Reply-To: lancair.list@olsusa.com

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Thank you, Dave, for the update.

Dave writes: "to further complicate matters if fuel did run into the D
section
during a 45 degree bank angle during flight then it would not be usable
because of the suction caused by the lack of a vent."

It is actually worse than that. As I mentioned in a previous post, gas
pressure can force whatever fuel that is in the D section out at altitude.
The gas pressure is due to a drop in ambient pressure and the vapor pressure
of the fuel (which is higher when the fuel is hot). If most of the air in
the tank has been displaced with fuel vapor then, upon decent, almost all of
the D section will fill with "unusable" fuel.

You could see 5 gallons on the gage, add 35 gallons to the tank (for a total
of 40) but, after a trip to the flight levels, only have 33+- gallons
available.

It is unlikely that a turn would allow fuel to run into the D section unless
the turn was grossly uncoordinated.

The lesson here is:
If you think something is wrong with your airplane, there probably is. Find
out what!

Regards
Brent Regan


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