X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Sat, 26 Dec 2009 09:49:20 -0500 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from imr-ma05.mx.aol.com ([64.12.100.31] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.3c4) with ESMTP id 4041730 for lml@lancaironline.net; Sat, 26 Dec 2009 08:59:05 -0500 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=64.12.100.31; envelope-from=MikeEasley@aol.com Received: from imo-da03.mx.aol.com (imo-da03.mx.aol.com [205.188.169.201]) by imr-ma05.mx.aol.com (8.14.1/8.14.1) with ESMTP id nBQDwPgj000995 for ; Sat, 26 Dec 2009 08:58:25 -0500 Received: from MikeEasley@aol.com by imo-da03.mx.aol.com (mail_out_v42.5.) id q.cca.60eb3c8c (43993) for ; Sat, 26 Dec 2009 08:58:21 -0500 (EST) Received: from MikeNotebook (c-75-71-55-189.hsd1.co.comcast.net [75.71.55.189]) by cia-dd06.mx.aol.com (v127.7) with ESMTP id MAILCIADD062-abd94b36167a280; Sat, 26 Dec 2009 08:58:19 -0500 X-Original-Date: Sat, 26 Dec 2009 06:57:46 -0700 From: mikeeasley Subject: Re: [LML] Re: Fuel Planning X-Original-To: "Lancair Mailing List" In-Reply-To: X-Original-Message-ID: References: X-Mailer: Nexus Desktop Client 3.1.20.1 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: MULTIPART/alternative; BOUNDARY=77db2d78-bd61-48b9-a9d9-ade13204e311 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-AOL-IP: 75.71.55.189 X-Spam-Flag:NO X-AOL-SENDER: MikeEasley@aol.com --77db2d78-bd61-48b9-a9d9-ade13204e311 Content-Type: TEXT/plain; charset=us-ascii I disagree with the concept that the only known fuel quantity is FULL. Maybe in the old days in certified aircraft, but my ES fuel gages are accurate. Back when fuel planning was done with an E6B, an estimated hourly fuel burn, one EGT analog gage; a very generous "fudge factor" needed to be included in our flight planning. I even think the winds aloft forecasts are better now than they were 20 years ago. With accurate fuel gages, fuel flow transducers, GPS calculated ground speed, ETA, fuel remaining at destination, and many of us have calculated winds aloft; we have a lot of accurate data on board. Most of our Lancairs have superior fuel management tools. I found Jeff's statistic surprising, unless pilots have failed to properly calibrate the fuel instruments or maybe just ignored them. I flew one of my tanks down to .7 gallons on a flight to Lancair to do some repair work on a wing. I had to drain the tank for the repair and I wasn't confident enough to run it dry in flight. I drained about 3/4 of a coffee can of fuel out on the ramp at Lancair. I have very high confidence in my fuel gages. That said, I have never landed with less than 20 gallons on board. My home field is almost 7,000 MSL so topping it off is at least something to think about, especially in the summertime. I have much more runway than Gary Casey up the road at Kelly Airpark. Mike Easley Colorado Springs In a message dated 12/26/09 06:01:45 Mountain Standard Time, gt_phantom@hotmail.com writes: Full tanks on a 320/360 is < 250 lbs, or a heavy passenger. When you calculate the theoretical savings you MIGHT obtain not filling the tanks vs. the empirical evidence of greater safety from ALWAYS filling the tanks, I'll have to say I'm quite willing to shell out a few extra dollars on the side of safety. Too, in every Lancair I've seen there is only one KNOWN quantity of gas for each tank - FULL. Every other condition is "unknown." However, that still does allow having at least one tank FULL and the wings "not full" and still know you have enough gas for a local flight. I have taken off once with only a full header tank - that was to go get cheaper gas at another airport. But don't let my caution stop you from taking of with an unknown quantity of gas. Merry Christmas, all! :-) --77db2d78-bd61-48b9-a9d9-ade13204e311 Content-Type: TEXT/html; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8BIT
I disagree with the concept that the only known fuel quantity is FULL.  Maybe in the old days in certified aircraft, but my ES fuel gages are accurate.
 
Back when fuel planning was done with an E6B, an estimated hourly fuel burn, one EGT analog gage; a very generous "fudge factor" needed to be included in our flight planning.  I even think the winds aloft forecasts are better now than they were 20 years ago.
 
With accurate fuel gages, fuel flow transducers, GPS calculated ground speed, ETA, fuel remaining at destination, and many of us have calculated winds aloft; we have a lot of accurate data on board.  Most of our Lancairs have superior fuel management tools.  I found Jeff's statistic surprising, unless pilots have failed to properly calibrate the fuel instruments or maybe just ignored them.
 
I flew one of my tanks down to .7 gallons on a flight to Lancair to do some repair work on a wing.  I had to drain the tank for the repair and I wasn't confident enough to run it dry in flight.  I drained about 3/4 of a coffee can of fuel out on the ramp at Lancair.  I have very high confidence in my fuel gages.  That said, I have never landed with less than 20 gallons on board.
 
My home field is almost 7,000 MSL so topping it off is at least something to think about, especially in the summertime.  I have much more runway than Gary Casey up the road at Kelly Airpark.
 
Mike Easley
Colorado Springs
 
In a message dated 12/26/09 06:01:45 Mountain Standard Time, gt_phantom@hotmail.com writes:
Full tanks on a 320/360 is < 250 lbs, or a heavy passenger.

When you calculate the theoretical savings you MIGHT obtain not filling the tanks vs. the empirical evidence of greater safety from ALWAYS filling the tanks, I'll have to say I'm quite willing to shell out a few extra dollars on the side of safety.  Too, in every Lancair I've seen there is only one KNOWN quantity of gas for each tank - FULL.  Every other condition is "unknown."  However, that still does allow having at least one tank FULL and the wings "not full" and still know you have enough gas for a local flight.  I have taken off once with only a full header tank - that was to go get cheaper gas at another airport.

But don't let my caution stop you from taking of with an unknown quantity of gas.

Merry Christmas, all!

:-)
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