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From: ron@hpfcla.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Deadstick-  Straight-Tail 150 Engine Failure
Message-ID: <16900018@hpfcmt.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 31-Oct-85 13:07:00 EST
Article-I.D.: hpfcmt.16900018
Posted: Thu Oct 31 13:07:00 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 11-Nov-85 06:09:27 EST
References: <322@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Organization: 31 Oct 85 11:07:00 MST
Lines: 45

Fuel stories....

At least most of you had semi-legit. excuses - LOST ! (It happens
to everyone at least once)

One student 'round here came home with -1 gallon of usable fuel left
because he'd forgotten to lean the mixture !  Fortunately it was a
moderately turbulent day and the tank ports didn't remain uncovered
long enough to scare him (in flight). 

For those who are not "into it" yet, there's always a portion of 
fuel tank volume which cannot be -consistently- used by the engine.
This is called "unusable fuel" and comes about because the fuel
line usually doesn't drain the tank dry. As an example: the motorglider
I fly has a tank capacity of 26.5 gallons of fuel. Its usable fuel is
only 24.5 gallons. If I plan a cross-country flight based upon 
26.5 gallons of fuel available,and I don't allow any margin, I may
wind up doing a little more gliding and a little less motoring than I 
had planned !

Also note that there is a great deal of difficulty in planning for your
student to receive a 'scare' without placing him (or her) in real danger.
Simulations while receiving instruction are not nearly as effective as
one would hope because the student knows that the instructor won't let
him get TOO far into a problem.  I delight in taking another instructors
pre-flight-test student down to 10' of altitude in a forced landing
simulation because they become unsure of whether we really will land or
not. But even then, they know that I won't let them break the aircraft
(if I can help it).


Ron Miller   CFI-G


No one has ever gone broke UNDERestimating the intelligence of the American
public !


FSD Service Engineering  (Hardware Support)
Hewlett-Packard Co.
Ft. Collins Systems Div.
Ft. Collins Colorado
303-226-3800

at: {ihnp4}hpfcla!ron