Running dry?

In September 2004 issue of AOPA Flight Training, Mark Cook has an article,
"No Fueln' Around". Under the "Selector boy" side article, he mentions
that he runs some of his tanks dry in his Bellanca Viking. In at least
one of John Deakin's articles
(http://www.avweb.com/news/columns/182044-1.html), he not only recommends
running tanks dry but puts forth a powerful argument that it's a
responsible fuel management strategy. Furthermore, Deakin also offers
that he has never found an NTSB accident report related to a failed engine
start when running a tank dry and switching to the next. Both guys
recommend setting a timer a couple of minutes before the tank should run
dry; which acts of both early warning and as validation of your
anticipated fuel consumption.

Is this common? How many run their tank(s) dry as part of their fuel
management strategy? If you don't run dry, why not? Aside from the heat
beat skipping which is sure to follow the first couple of times, what's
the down side to this strategy?

Lastly, I did cross post this message as I feel it's of value to both
student and general pilot population alike.

Cheers,

Greg

Greg Copeland wrote:

Is this common? How many run their tank(s) dry as part of their fuel
management strategy? If you don't run dry, why not? Aside from the heat
beat skipping which is sure to follow the first couple of times, what's
the down side to this strategy?

I would like to do this just one time for each of the two main tanks in the
Bonanza V35 I fly if for no other reason than to validate the actual
duration and total gallons. However, I have yet to take the time or have
the courage to do so.

As far as disadvantages, I am concerned about what might happen with the
sediment in these aging fuel bladders as the fuel empties. But, I have
read articles that dispel this myth so perhaps this is a non-issue.



--
Peter
























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On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 09:58:18 -0400, Peter R. wrote:

Greg Copeland wrote:

Is this common? How many run their tank(s) dry as part of their fuel
management strategy? If you don't run dry, why not? Aside from the
hea[r]t beat skipping which is sure to follow the first couple of
times, what's the down side to this strategy?

I would like to do this just one time for each of the two main tanks in
the Bonanza V35 I fly if for no other reason than to validate the actual
duration and total gallons. However, I have yet to take the time or
have the courage to do so.

As far as disadvantages, I am concerned about what might happen with the
sediment in these aging fuel bladders as the fuel empties. But, I
have read articles that dispel this myth so perhaps this is a non-issue.

Deakin's article specifically mentions this. I recommend you read the
article. He argues this is nothing to worry about and even
indirectly offers this is a reason to run your tanks dry.

Greg

On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 09:07:14 -0500, Greg Copeland wrote:


I would like to do this just one time for each of the two main tanks in
the Bonanza V35 I fly if for no other reason than to validate the actual
duration and total gallons. However, I have yet to take the time or
have the courage to do so.

I'd like to know exactly how much fuel is useable, too, but think I'd probably
run a tank low, pump out the remaining gas, then either high idle or taxi
around until it sputtered, switch over, then fill the empty tank. Seems waaay
too much hassle to not just believe the manufacturer. If you choose to do this
when flying, please don't have either me or your insurance agent as a
passenger.


As far as disadvantages, I am concerned about what might happen with the
sediment in these aging fuel bladders as the fuel empties. But, I
have read articles that dispel this myth so perhaps this is a non-issue.

In my day job, I operate a 2005 vehicle, and see the gunk that comes out of
fuel filters regularly. I can hardly imagine what could lurk in the +/- 30
year old tanks on aircraft we trust to keep us out of the trees.

Enjoy your experiment

Jim Ricks

In rec.aviation.piloting James Ricks wrote:

I'd like to know exactly how much fuel is useable, too, but think I'd probably
run a tank low, pump out the remaining gas, then either high idle or taxi
around until it sputtered, switch over, then fill the empty tank. Seems waaay
too much hassle to not just believe the manufacturer. If you choose to do this
when flying, please don't have either me or your insurance agent as a
passenger.

I routinely run tanks dry on long flights. As I know my plane and know
when a tank is about to empty, chances are that you, my insurance agent,
or my somewhat nervous wife or children ever notice that a tank went dry.

My first warning is a tank is about to dry is that my timer runs out.
A few minutes later I see a slight increase in my EGT (I've a good engine
monitor). About 40 seconds later, my fuel pressure gauge twitches. I
then switch tanks and the engine hasn't even burbled. Nobody notices.

BTW, Beech sez I've got 20 gallon tanks, with 17.5 usable. After running
my right tank dry, I can put fill with 20.8 gallons. My aux tank tank is
20 with 19 usable according to the book. After running it dry, I can put
19.7 in it. I don't know how much I can put in my left one as I only have
three tanks and I try hard not to have all three of them empty at one time
;-)

Fortunately, what Beech put in my owners book were written by engineers
with an engineers fudge factor. The books on later models were written by
lawyers using the engineers data (with the afore mentioned fudge factor).
Way lotta slop there.

In my day job, I operate a 2005 vehicle, and see the gunk that comes out of
fuel filters regularly. I can hardly imagine what could lurk in the +/- 30
year old tanks on aircraft we trust to keep us out of the trees.

Does your 2005 vehicle have sumps that you drain every time before you
start it?

--
Frank Stutzman
Bonanza N494B "Hula Girl"
Hood River, OR

BTW, Beech sez I've got 20 gallon tanks, with 17.5 usable. After running
my right tank dry, I can put fill with 20.8 gallons. [...]

Fortunately, what Beech put in my owners book were written by engineers
with an engineers fudge factor. [...] Way lotta slop there.

"Usable" means usable in EVERY flight attitude. The "unusable" fuel can
be used in SOME flight attitudes, obviously some of that unusable fuel
could be used in the specific flight attitude in which you were at the time.

Jose
--
Quantum Mechanics is like this: God =does= play dice with the universe,
except there's no God, and there's no dice. And maybe there's no universe.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 09:58:18 -0400, Peter R. wrote:

Greg Copeland wrote:

As far as disadvantages, I am concerned about what might happen with the
sediment in these aging fuel bladders as the fuel empties. But, I have
read articles that dispel this myth so perhaps this is a non-issue.

Opps. I misread that. I read that has "have not"...obviously you have.
Ignore my suggestion to read the article.

Greg

I bought a fuel computer (JPI add-on to my EDM). I know exactely how
much fuel is in each tank.

Not quite; it only tells you what goes through the flowmeter. If you
have a leak before the fuel gets to the meter, the only way you'll know
is if the plane catches fire or the gauges go down too fast :-)

Robert,

I know exactely how
much fuel is in each tank.


Nope, you don't. In fact, without running the tanks dry at least once
(or emptying them in the hangar), you have no idea. You know how much
has gone from the tanks if there is no leak. That doesn't tell you at
all how much is left.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)