A couple of questions:
1. What is wrong with running one tank dry?
2. 10 gallons equates to how much flying time in a Bonanza?
A learning experience in IMC / Bonanza
- Thread starter Nark
- Start date
A couple of questions:
1. What is wrong with running one tank dry?
2. 10 gallons equates to how much flying time in a Bonanza?
N519AT
Ahh! This is how I change this!
1.) It would scare the bejeebers out of me when the engine stops. I dunno, but to me I would consider that poor flight planning/airmanship when you have to use ALL of your fuel out of a primary fuel tank in a 2 tank system.
2.) It can't be any more than 30-45 minutes with that big Continental up front. One website lists it at 18gph. Once again, 37 usuable 40 total. I put 30 gallons in the right so that's only 7 gallons usuable that he landed with. That's 23 minutes of fuel remaining at 18gph. Add that he was on an IFR plan in and out.
Absolutely nothing. Switch to the other one with gas in it. Running all tanks dry is something completely different.
-mini
Fly_Unity
Well-Known Member
10 gallons left? Thats legal IFR reserve.
N519AT
Ahh! This is how I change this!
I'm just going off of what I read online, but at 18 gph, surely it is not. Only if you can somehow get your fuel consumption down to 12 gph at normal cruising speed does that give you 50 minutes to meet the 45 minute reserve. With a 300 hp motor out front, I don't really see that happening.
R
Roger, Roger
Guest
Remember, you have to PLAN for 45 minutes. Nothing says that you must LAND with 45 minutes. Though of course prudence dictates something like that and I would consider diverting if it looked like I would land with substantially less than that.
400A
New Member
trafficinsight
Well-Known Member
I talked to a guy once that was adamant that if you ran a tank dry in a Piper that you wouldn't be able to restart the engine.
R
Roger, Roger
Guest
That's because when the engine quits it shock cools and explodes. Duh.I talked to a guy once that was adamant that if you ran a tank dry in a Piper that you wouldn't be able to restart the engine.
trafficinsight
Well-Known Member
Fly_Unity
Well-Known Member
I guess it depends what type of Bonanza and how you run it. I always seen around 11 GPH at 22 inches or maybe 14 GPH at 23 inches (= 10.5 gallons needed for 45 minute reserve)
ppragman
FLIPY FLAPS!
I talked to a guy once that was adamant that if you ran a tank dry in a Piper that you wouldn't be able to restart the engine.
LOL
Prodrive555
Well-Known Member
Something to consider:
If you are flying an aircraft with two tanks, of which only one is used at a time, and you run the first one dry before switching to the second, you better hope there are no issues when you switch to the second tank.
I can recall an incident where a homebuilt aircraft had an engine failure because of fuel starvation. He ran the 1st tank dry, then switched to the 2nd tank, but the fuel system wasn't working properly with the 2nd tank, and even though it had more than adequate quantity, he had an engine failure and landed on a highway.
If he left a few gallons in the 1st tank, he could have switched back and made it to a nearby airport.
Just some food for thought.
If you are flying an aircraft with two tanks, of which only one is used at a time, and you run the first one dry before switching to the second, you better hope there are no issues when you switch to the second tank.
I can recall an incident where a homebuilt aircraft had an engine failure because of fuel starvation. He ran the 1st tank dry, then switched to the 2nd tank, but the fuel system wasn't working properly with the 2nd tank, and even though it had more than adequate quantity, he had an engine failure and landed on a highway.
If he left a few gallons in the 1st tank, he could have switched back and made it to a nearby airport.
Just some food for thought.
I bet people that run over square are more likely to run a tank dry, thus shock cooling and destroying their engine.
Oogy boogy!
-mini
R
Roger, Roger
Guest
Only if they don't also run lean of peak.
If I recall correctly in planes like the Archer I would run down about 1/2 of the first tank then switch and run the second tank dry (first burble of the engine or drop in fuel pressure). One reason was to help keep the weight difference between wings closer, but more importantly because I would know exactly how long the engine would run on one tank of fuel. Since I had kept track of how long I had already run on the first tank I would have a very accurate representation of how much fuel I had left. I knew that both sides of the fuel system worked (I had exercised both with plenty of fuel available in case of a problem) and I had a real clear picture of how my fuel reserve status was playing out compared to what I had planned originally. I like working on alternate plans (if needed) earlier in the flight rather than later.
YMMV.
So when you're hummin along and you try to switch tanks and there's an "issue" causing you to now switch back to the other tank............what ya gonna do?
You're over an undercast at night. Everything below you is 300-1 and people are reporting moderate rime ice in the descent. Your destination is CAVU but outside of the range you're capable of getting out of one tank.
What's one to do?
-mini
mjg407
Well-Known Member
pull the chute?