On Oct 2, 2004, at 2:10 AM, William R. Bayne wrote:
Hi Steve,
I suggest you seek a means to accurately monitor in-flight fuel consumption. A good first step would be to re-coat any and all cork floats before starting.
Hi Steve (again),
I would also load the plane to "average" cross-country weight (gross weight less half useable fuel EXCLUDING that you intend to land with).
To estimate this weight I would assume 4.5 gallons useable in the nose tank (with the "5 gallon" tank) or 5.5 gallons with the "six gallon" tank; and 7.8 gallons useable from each "eight gallon wing tank or 8.7 useable from each "nine" gallon " wing tank.
Thusly, if If your worst fuel burn in six months was 4.8 gallons per hour, you like to keep a 45 minute reserve for emergencies, and you have a 415-C or CD with the "5 gallon" nose tank and the "eight gallon" wing tanks:
Gallons usable in Nose tank (4.5)
Gallons usable in L Wing tank (7.8)
Gallons usable in R Wing tank (7.8)
Sub-total: (19.1)
Less reserve (4.5 GPH x .75) - (3.375)
"Useable Flight Fuel" 15.725 gal.
Multiply this 15.725 times the weight of a gallon of gasoline and divide it by two.
Subtract this weight from your gross, and you have derived an average cross country flight weight for YOUR coupe presuming you took off with full tanks and have burned half of your fuel halfway to a (maximum safe distance) fuel stop.
Load the coupe to this weight for the "leveling" flight earlier described. It is a "mean" figure that you know is low when you take off and high when you land, but these cancel out in practice..
Regards,
William R. Bayne
<____|-(o)-|____>
Copyright 2004
