Dan Thomas wrote:

Lots of old pilots didn't trust fuel gauges, which is still a
wise attitude. They'd sometimes fly on one tank until it ran dry and
the engine quit, then switch to the other and know exactly how much
they had left and how much they'd burned. This doesn't work well if
the tanks are very far off the airplane's centreline, as the imbalance
can require increases aileron input, causing more drag and tiring the
pilot. It can also panic passengers and create unpleasant cabin odors
and extra janitorial work after the flight.

If you're paying attention and know your fuel burn you can predict the moment of
running out within plus/minus a few minutes. When the fuel pressure gauge drops
to zero, you still have some time while the engine continues to run smoothly.
Switch tanks when the fuel pressure drops, the pax will never know.

Of course, you've run some on the other tank previously, so you know the fuel in
the other tank is sweet.

This old pilot thinks everyone should do this at least once so that they know
how their plane behaves in this situation. It also provides a chance to make a
direct measurement of exactly what your tank capacity is.

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Dave