---------------------------------------------------------- Commander-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Wed 05/12/04: 4 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 06:51 AM - Re: Outboard Tank Etiquette (Randy Dettmer, AIA) 2. 08:04 AM - Re: New Commander Pilot with Questions (Tylor Hall) 3. 10:15 AM - Re: New Commander Pilot with Questions (Moe) 4. 11:34 AM - Re: Outboard Tank Etiquette (CloudCraft@aol.com) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 06:51:37 AM PST US From: "Randy Dettmer, AIA" Subject: Re: Commander-List: Outboard Tank Etiquette --> Commander-List message posted by: "Randy Dettmer, AIA" Thanks Keith for the "as usual" great words of wisdom. Now, I ve got a whole new thought process going on about tank switching...thinking about running the tanks dry (I'd rather not), the possibility of an electrical failure ( I had one once...turned out that I left the generator switches off, and ran the battery out of juice), ...oh ya, and turning on the dishwasher. Randy Dettmer 680F/N6253X ----- Original Message ----- From: Subject: Commander-List: Outboard Tank Etiquette > --> Commander-List message posted by: CloudCraft@aol.com > > \ > > > 1. When the plane is in the hangar, any fuel in the right aux tank will > > drain into the center tank in a short time. This occurs even if the > > fuel selector is set to "OFF". It even occurs in flight in that the > > right aux tank is used up faster than the left with the engines at > > approximately the same gph fuel burn. Any thoughts on why this > > is happening. > > > > Just a thought on this topic for all Commander operators with more than 156 > gallon fuel systems. That would be Commanders with geared Lycomings and the > MR. RPM converted airframes. OK... And the few Gary Gadberry 223 gallon 500 > A/B/U/S series. > > When using the outboard tanks, keep in mind that more fuel than is required > is sent to the fuel metering system (either pressure carburetor or Simmonds > fuel injection) and that by-passed fuel returns to the center tank. > > If one were to switch to outboard tanks too soon (or as in the case with our > new friend with the leaking fuel shut-off valve), there is no room in the > center tank for this return fuel to go and it dumps overboard. > > So when is an OK time to switch to outboard tanks? As soon as you see the > main or center fuel system come off the full peg and begin to indicate anything > less than full, you have room for by-pass fuel. That would be in the 135 > gallon indicating range. > > There are two schools of thought on using the outboard tanks. Either > one-at-a-time, or, switching to double outboard but with 15 minutes of staggered > time so if you need to run the tanks dry, you don't have two closely occurring > adrenaline rushes to recover from. > > The devotees to single outboard tank feeding run that way because in the > event of a total electrical failure, the tank selector valves fail in their > present position and that scenario would leave you with only outboard fuel that is > NOT useable in all flight attitudes and not all that much fuel to get over the > mountains or ocean with. > > Just something to think about, along with meteor strikes and whether you > forgot to run the dishwasher before you left on this trip. > > Wing Commander Gordon > > ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 08:04:06 AM PST US From: Tylor Hall Subject: Re: Commander-List: New Commander Pilot with Questions --> Commander-List message posted by: Tylor Hall Ray, Another place that is a leaker in the commanders is the floor and the boot around the controls to the floor. The floor in a commander is the pressure bulkhead and not the outter skin. These seals are getting old since the aircraft is 35-40 years old. You may also want to talk to Dick MacCoon, Mr RPM. www.mrrpm.com. Tylor Hall Ray Mansfield wrote: --> Commander-List message posted by: "Ray Mansfield" I've just recently started flying an Aero Commander 680 FLP for a company in Ft. Walton Beach, FL. I suspect many of the people on your web site have years of experience with this machine. Sooo...I have a few questions. 1. When the plane is in the hangar, any fuel in the right aux tank will drain into the center tank in a short time. This occurs even if the fuel selector is set to "OFF". It even occurs in flight in that the right aux tank is used up faster than the left with the engines at approximately the same gph fuel burn. Any thoughts on why this is happening. 2. The pressurization system only gets about 2,000' differential at 10,000 ft altitude. The cabin has been checked for leaks and none of any consequence were found. The door seal is new and the seal pump seems to be working. If I just climb, say, to 15,000' will just the fact that the turbos will be putting out more pressure cause the differential altitude to increase beyond more than 2,000'. Right now there's no real benefit to having the pressurization as it doesn't work good enough. This airplane has the Mr. RPM engine conversion to the IO-720 Lycoming. Thanks, Ray Mansfield hcourier@cox.net ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 10:15:43 AM PST US From: "Moe" Subject: Re: Commander-List: New Commander Pilot with Questions --> Commander-List message posted by: "Moe" Ray, If you find leaks around the top of the leather boots where they surround the rudder pedals (as we did on N680RR) you may try just placing a hose clamp around them. Worked for us! Another place for leaks is below the floor around the hoses that connect the heater/pres. air outlets down close to the floor. Moe ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tylor Hall" Subject: Re: Commander-List: New Commander Pilot with Questions > --> Commander-List message posted by: Tylor Hall > > Ray, > Another place that is a leaker in the commanders is the floor and the boot around the controls to the floor. The floor in a commander is the pressure bulkhead and not the outter skin. These seals are getting old since the aircraft is 35-40 years old. > You may also want to talk to Dick MacCoon, Mr RPM. www.mrrpm.com. > Tylor Hall > > > Ray Mansfield wrote: > --> Commander-List message posted by: "Ray Mansfield" > > I've just recently started flying an Aero Commander 680 FLP for a company in Ft. Walton Beach, FL. I suspect many of the people on your web site have years of experience with this machine. Sooo...I have a few questions. > > 1. When the plane is in the hangar, any fuel in the right aux tank will > drain into the center tank in a short time. This occurs even if the > fuel selector is set to "OFF". It even occurs in flight in that the > right aux tank is used up faster than the left with the engines at > approximately the same gph fuel burn. Any thoughts on why this > is happening. > > 2. The pressurization system only gets about 2,000' differential at > 10,000 ft altitude. The cabin has been checked for leaks and none > of any consequence were found. The door seal is new and the > seal pump seems to be working. If I just climb, say, to 15,000' > will just the fact that the turbos will be putting out more pressure > cause the differential altitude to increase beyond more than 2,000'. Right now there's no real benefit to having the > pressurization as it doesn't work good enough. This airplane has the Mr. RPM engine conversion to the IO-720 Lycoming. > > > Thanks, > > Ray Mansfield > hcourier@cox.net > > ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 11:34:10 AM PST US From: CloudCraft@aol.com Subject: Re: Commander-List: Outboard Tank Etiquette --> Commander-List message posted by: CloudCraft@aol.com Randy -- I thought I had the market cornered on the trip without generators. On a Forest Service flight to pick up another AirBoss during a fire, my radios went dead. Was in the pattern NORDO wondering what I'd do next to save the world when I noticed those gen switches. I started the diswasher this morning and now I'm worried about it flooding the house while I'm away for the next 4 days. You just can't win. KG