Flying w/faulty gas gauge

Ron Natalie wrote:
I believe certification only requires that the gauge show empty when
the tank is empty.

You keep saying this, but it's not true.

Empty... unusable... Not much difference in my book. If there is no fuel
flowing to the engine, it's empty!
Of course, if you know the Chinese fuel management technique, you can
extract some or all of the unusable fuel.

that isn't the part that isn't true

I didn't expect this thread to spark this much discussion!

"john smith" wrote in message
...
Ron Natalie wrote:
I believe certification only requires that the gauge show empty when
the tank is empty.

You keep saying this, but it's not true.

Empty... unusable... Not much difference in my book. If there is no fuel
flowing to the engine, it's empty!
Of course, if you know the Chinese fuel management technique, you can
extract some or all of the unusable fuel.

"john smith" wrote in message ...
Ron Natalie wrote:
I believe certification only requires that the gauge show empty when
the tank is empty.

You keep saying this, but it's not true.

Empty... unusable... Not much difference in my book. If there is no fuel
flowing to the engine, it's empty!

People pull one cluase out of the reg. I've posted it. If you read the full
sentence people keep pulling out of their asses, you'll find that the gauges
are not any more or less accurate at empty than anywhere else.

"john smith" wrote in message
...
Ron Natalie wrote:
I believe certification only requires that the gauge show empty when
the tank is empty.

You keep saying this, but it's not true.

Empty... unusable... Not much difference in my book. If there is no fuel
flowing to the engine, it's empty!
Of course, if you know the Chinese fuel management technique, you can
extract some or all of the unusable fuel.

The regulation reads

(9) Fuel gauge indicating the quantity of fuel in each tank.

"Gig Giacona" wrote in message ...
]
Empty... unusable... Not much difference in my book. If there is no fuel
flowing to the engine, it's empty!
Of course, if you know the Chinese fuel management technique, you can
extract some or all of the unusable fuel.

The regulation reads

(9) Fuel gauge indicating the quantity of fuel in each tank.

23.1337 says
Fuel quantity indication. There must be a means to indicate to the flightcrew members the quantity
of usable fuel in each tank during flight. An indicator calibrated in appropriate units and clearly marked
to indicate those units must be used. In addition:
(1) Each fuel quantity indicator must be calibrated to read "zero"
during level flight when the quantity of fuel remaining in the tank is equal to the unusable fuel supply determined under
§ 23.959(a)

Well .. if that's the standard .. I've never seen one meet it.


"Gig Giacona" wrote in message
...


The regulation reads

(9) Fuel gauge indicating the quantity of fuel in each tank.

EDR wrote:

I believe certification only requires that the gauge show empty when
the tank is empty.

Nope. The gauge must show the quantity of fuel in the tank. Furthermore, it
must read empty when there's no more useable fuel, not when the tank is empty.

George Patterson
They say nothing's certain except death and taxes. The thing is, death
doesn't get worse every time Congress goes into session.

Let me guess: you are flying one of the new 172's.

Cessna uses a sending unit in these fuel gauges that is notorious for
breaking down. It flickers down to zero every now and then, also causing the
low fuel light on the annunciator panel to flicker. It is harmless, but it
gets worse over time and eventually the gauge will fail.

I know one 172 ME that has had its fuel gauges replaced half a dozen times.

Cessna needs to get on the ball and understand that this kind of quality
control crap went out of style when the Japanese hit the US auto market in
the 1960's. You would think that spending $180,000 on a new airplane
entitles you to a gas gauge that works.

One thing to consider, you could have a fuel leak in flight. Without
guages, you would never know it.

"Yossarian" wrote in message ...
I understand that functional fuel gauges are required equipment for day VFR
flight. Yesterday during my preflight in a 172 I saw that the right gauge
was functioning intermittently--it would show full, flicker down to zero,
bounce around, etc. Tank was visually confirmed full. Mechanic messed
around with it for a while to no effect.

Would you fly this airplane?

I was once told.. that the Cessna type gauges only have to be accurate when
the tank is empty.. it should tell you so.. it does not need to be accurate
at a full or partially full tank..

it should not say 1/2 when the engine coughs and sputters on an empty tank..

BT

"Yossarian" wrote in message
. ..
I understand that functional fuel gauges are required equipment for day
VFR
flight. Yesterday during my preflight in a 172 I saw that the right gauge
was functioning intermittently--it would show full, flicker down to zero,
bounce around, etc. Tank was visually confirmed full. Mechanic messed
around with it for a while to no effect.

Would you fly this airplane?