Fuel dump switch in homebuilt

On 30 Nov 2003 14:49:37 -0800, (Jay) wrote:



Maybe a fuel selector switch that ports to a low pressure area near
the tail would act as a light weight solution to draw out the fuel
from the tanks. A safety wire that would have to be broken would be a
good idea so it isn't accentally selected. Like the WEP setting on
the WW2 fighters with water injection.

Jay I have thought about this myself in view of the astronaut doctor
and pilot owner who died from burns learning to fly my type of
aircraft.

in reality though, if you weigh up the situation in a balanced way,
you are far better leaving off the contraption, having a simpler
lighter aircraft and spending all of your efforts in preventative
maintenance.

with good maintenance and considerate operation by the pilot any
certified aircraft engine will run way beyond it's tbo.

if you fly as often as the finances will allow, your skills will keep
you from ending up in the situation where fuel would need to be
dumped.

Stealth ( I didnt fit one) Pilot
Australia

(Jay) wrote:

After reading some of the transcripts from the "Last Words" website,
where the flight engineers were dumping fuel when it became evident
that an emergecy landing was a certainty, it dawned on me that there
might be some benefit for a small plane as well. The less energy you
carry into a crash landing the better off you're going to be.

I think I'd prefer to maximise the chances of keeping all the
remaining fuel safely in the tanks after landing. My view is that any
reduction in landing weight is more than offset by the chances of
having fuel still in the dump system on landing and making fire more
likely.

Andrew Rowley writes:

I think I'd prefer to maximise the chances of keeping all the
remaining fuel safely in the tanks after landing. My view is that any
reduction in landing weight is more than offset by the chances of
having fuel still in the dump system on landing and making fire more
likely.

Yeah, but think of the path of that fire (as it spreads to the areas
now peppered with fuel). It'd be like a big burning arrow pointing
right at your plane. It should make it easy to find your body.

--kyler

On Thu, 04 Dec 2003 13:09:52 GMT, Kyler Laird
wrote:

Andrew Rowley writes:

I think I'd prefer to maximise the chances of keeping all the
remaining fuel safely in the tanks after landing. My view is that any
reduction in landing weight is more than offset by the chances of
having fuel still in the dump system on landing and making fire more
likely.

Yeah, but think of the path of that fire (as it spreads to the areas
now peppered with fuel). It'd be like a big burning arrow pointing
right at your plane. It should make it easy to find your body.

--kyler

Giving one of those redwood tree squatters a fuel shower might tick
him/her off enough to put the spark to your flaming arrow. Watch your
six!