---------------------------------------------------------- Pietenpol-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Tue 10/20/15: 2 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 05:17 AM - fuel tank, size/ location (Douwe Blumberg) 2. 07:47 AM - Re: fuel tank, size/ location (woodflier) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 05:17:20 AM PST US From: "Douwe Blumberg" Subject: Pietenpol-List: fuel tank, size/ location Hi Harvey, I agree that this is probably not going to be a good location. The farther back you get, the lower the outlet will be during climb in relation to the carb. I've heard of fuel flow issues with the tank up front so moving it back will very likely invoke some more. Problem with trying to max capacity in the nose is it forces the bottom of the tank lower and lower; hence the flow issues. Lots of guys build bigger tanks, but end up with a lot of unusable fuel in there. A wing tank works well, has no fuel flow issue and opens up tons of room up front. or a wing tank with a header tank; more complex, but works if designed well. If you're looking for a single-seat, have you considered the Sky Scout? Super cute plane and I hear it performs quite nicely. The aircampers smaller cousin. If I were wanting a single-seat Piet-type, I'd build one in a heartbeat. Good luck! Douwe Time: 05:50:12 AM PST US Subject: Pietenpol-List: Fuel Tank, Size/Location From: "Harvey Plummer" Thanks guys for all the previous info on a nose tank. Now the question is will I have enough pressure for gravity feed to the Carb? I am planning to have a single seat Pietenpol. I would like to locate the nose tank where the passenger seat opening would be. I am thinking an oval shaped tank 16" deep at the center and about 18" long. It will be located with approximately 8" of the tank above the longerons and 8" below. With the fuel valve at the rear of the tank will there be enough pressure for fuel to flow to the carburator on a Corvair engine with 2 gallons of unusable fuel in the tank? Looking for opinions, experience or suggestions? ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 07:47:34 AM PST US From: woodflier Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: fuel tank, size/ location Harvey, I built a Pietenpol, with a fuselage tank in front of the front coc kpit, basically Mike Cuy's set up. The tank holds 16 gallons, of which I re gard the last 5 as not usable. That still gives me over 2 1/2 hours with so me reserve, and believe me, after that amount of time flying a Pietenpol, y ou are ready to get out of it! There is some CG change as the fuel burns of f but it's not major and I don't have a trim system. Hands off, with a full tank, my airplane will slowly drop its nose. At about 45 minutes, it balan ces perfectly and after that, has a nose up tendency, increasingly after ab out an hour and fifteen minutes. Either way, the stick forces are so minor, I don't consciously have to push or pull on the stick. With that tank in t he front of the fuselage, I got 13.5 gallons fuel flow with 5 gallons in th e tank, and with the mains up on blocks and the tail down. You want to be s ure you have twice the full power fuel burn as a flow. Below that number, c onsider that unusable fuel. Matt Paxton NX629ML -----Original Message----- From: Douwe Blumberg Sent: Tue, Oct 20, 2015 8:17 am Subject: Pietenpol-List: fuel tank, size/ location Hi Harvey, I agree that this is probably not going to be a good location. The farther back you get, the lower the outlet will be during climb in relation to the carb. I=99ve heard of fuel flow issues with the tank up front so mo ving it back will very likely invoke some more. Problem with trying to max capacity in the nose is it forces the bottom of the tank lower and lower; hence the flow issues. Lots of guys build bigger tanks, but end up with a lot of unusable fuel in there. A wing tank works well, has no fuel flow issue and opens up tons of room up front or a wing tank with a header tank; more complex, but works if designed well. If you=99re looking for a single-seat, have you considered the Sky Sc out? Super cute plane and I hear it performs quite nicely. The aircampers smaller cousin. If I were wanting a single-seat Piet-type, I=99d bu ild one in a heartbeat. Good luck! Douwe Time: 05:50:12 AM PST US Subject: Pietenpol-List: Fuel Tank, Size/Location From: "Harvey Plummer" Thanks guys for all the previous info on a nose tank. Now the question is will I have enough pressure for gravity feed to the Car b? I am planning to have a single seat Pietenpol. I would like to locate th e nose tank where the passenger seat opening would be. I am thinking an ova l shaped tank 16" deep at the center and about 18" long. It will be located with approximately 8" of the tank above the longerons and 8" below. With t he fuel valve at the rear of the tank will there be enough pressure for fue l to flow to the carburator on a Corvair engine with 2 gallons of unusable fuel in the tank? Looking for opinions, experience or suggestions? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message pietenpol-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/Pietenpol-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/pietenpol-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/pietenpol-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.