Fuel quantity in Chief main tank

[EDGEFLY]

Made first XC in my new Chief on Sunday and had a small surprise! After proceding North for < 1 1/2 hrs., became concerned about the fuel level indications on the guage mounted top center of the panel. Result was a precautionary fuel stop @ KLHV. Using the fuel quantity stick that the previous owner had and an estimated 4.5 GPH burn rate, I should have still had more than 3 gal left. Sure didn't look like 3 gal when we were on the ground. No evidence of leaks or other high usage factors were found so guess I'm looking for a new measuring stick. Is there or was there ever a mechanical (stick) available for the 11 AC ? I have read about various " Create a stick" approaches but my question is if there is or ever was one calibrated for the shape of this main tank. The good thing is that the incident was only educational. By the way the folks at KLHV were not only in business on Sunday pm but had 100LL available for $5.75/gal and a lineman to pump.

Dale

[Paul Agaliotis]

Dale,
I always think of my fuel as time in the tank. At 4.5 an hour 9gal gives you 2hrs, regardless of speed or distance. Gauges only need to read correct at empty.
Paul

[rkittine]

Like most Aeronca owners I know, I use a Paint Stir Stick and start with an empty tank and then put in 1 gallon at a time, dip to measure and mark. I have a set of calibrations for Both the wing and nose tank on one side for On Wheels / Skis and on the other for On Floats.

I did the same for my Champ, which at this time I only fly on wheels. I keep meticulas records and with over 250 hours on this plane since I got it, I have average 4.83 gallons per hour on its C-90. What I have found though is that theat amount can vary considerable based on how I fly. Lots of take offs and landings with a student or long climbs for short flights and I have had fuel burns as hi as 5.6 gallons per hour.

I use a Sporty's timer and start the stop watch as soon as the engine starts and do not stop it until shut down. If the plane sits in the hot sun I check it a lot as I have seen evaporation make a difference and I make plenty of stops and top off just to make sure.

[Roger Anderson]

First thing I would do is fill the tank and then go fly a carfully measured time, at least one hour and maybe two. Then land and refill the tank. You will now have an accurate determination of what your engine's fuel burn an hour actually is. It should be in the 4 to 4 1/2 gph range. My A65 is 4 1/4 gph. Then, as another mentioned, from a full tank, always keep an accurate accounting ( in time) of how long you have flown since last filled. You will always then know accurately how much fuel (time remaining) in the tank you have. You should have about 3+30 until the engine quits with a full tank. The gage is out of a model A Ford. The only thing I use it for as it bounces around all over the readings is to let me know that there is still fuel in the tank, not really how much. It is just too inaccurate. When mine starts bouncing between 1/4 and empty, I have one hour remaining..but each gage is going to be different. I have a chart someone over on the other Aeronca list made for a Chief main tank. I'll look it up and post it if I can figure out how. I made a dip stick from it and it's pretty accurate.

[jepropst]

I have tried using the typical "white wood" paint stir sticks for making tank gauging sticks. I burn a lot of auto fuel and I find that it is difficult for me to see the fuel level on these light colored sticks. I have found that it is much easier to see the fuel level when I use a bare, darker, hardwood for the stick such as red oak, walnut, or cherry. I mark the levels on the stick with a standard sharpie pen.

[Roger Anderson]

I have tried using the typical "white wood" paint stir sticks for making tank gauging sticks. I burn a lot of auto fuel and I find that it is difficult for me to see the fuel level on these light colored sticks. I have found that it is much easier to see the fuel level when I use a bare, darker, hardwood for the stick such as red oak, walnut, or cherry. I mark the levels on the stick with a standard sharpie pen.

Same here on the "can't see the fuel". I painted a black stripe down the dowel. Helps, but still hard to see. Old habits are hard to break. i dipped Cessna tanks so long with the clear tubes that I still put my finger over the end of the dowel every time I dip with it now. I guess my finger thinks of it as a glass tube still.

[pablo]

The most accurate method to keep time of running engine is the tachometer. That is how I keep track of not only my fuel consumption, but other time depending issues like oil changes, propeller torquing, etc. Unfortunately had to replace my original tachometer, that measured to the 0.01 of an hour, by a new one that only measures to 0.1hr that gives me an innacurate window of 6 minutes. My A65 burns 4.5-5 gal/hr-tach time.

Pablo

[brink]

Hey I will add my two cents. I own a champ. I also have a factory installed fuselage rear tank. Gives me another hour of flight time. my A-75-8 uses about 4.9 per hour. I have the old A rocker, adjusted about 3/4 inch off the bottom. I also have float cork wire in the fill cap. its also 3/4 inch off the bottom. My blatter runs 2.5 hours, and so my butt. at the 3/4 inch level I can fly :40 minutes. I load the rear tank after 1:30 minutes into the main if its loaded. A previous post said load a gallon at a time. Thats good, but gauge in level flight, and tail down. With your system completely loaded and all lines charged, gascolator , carb bowl on off valve. I have poured almost 2.8 gallons maybe a little more before I see any gauge indication, in my champ. or 30+minutes. These are just my findings and mean absolutly nothing. Due to the fact this is not your airplane. My two cents Sunny

[MikeB]

As long was we're throwing number around. I don't have a real good handle but I'm estimating my 0200 in the L16 is burning around 6.5 GPH (You got to pay something for the extra power ). I have the Wag Aero 5 gallon wing tanks in addition to the 13 gallon nose tank so technically speaking I should have a total of 23 gallons but the last time I filled one wing tank it only took 4 gallons. Unsure why so basically I'm working on the theory (until I find something different) that I have about 20 gallons useful. Three hours really raise the pucker factor but two hours is probably a reasonable figure for my butt anyway. Of course I can lean and run the engine a bit slower, too. I tend to run on the top of the tank as much as possible anyway.

Mike

[Roger Anderson]

As long was we're throwing number around. I don't have a real good handle but I'm estimating my 0200 in the L16 is burning around 6.5 GPH (You got to pay something for the extra power ). I have the Wag Aero 5 gallon wing tanks in addition to the 13 gallon nose tank so technically speaking I should have a total of 23 gallons but the last time I filled one wing tank it only took 4 gallons. Unsure why so basically I'm working on the theory (until I find something different) that I have about 20 gallons useful. Three hours really raise the pucker factor but two hours is probably a reasonable figure for my butt anyway. Of course I can lean and run the engine a bit slower, too. I tend to run on the top of the tank as much as possible anyway.

Mike

A Cessna 150 with the o 200 has two 13 gal tanks (26 gals total) but only 22.5 is usuable. So you are only a little short of their endurance.