REFLECTOR: Good Friday Landing

[Randy Wharton]

Bruce,
  On the RG models, the slim sump mounts on the forward side of the
firewall, just under the spar. There is room underneath, unlike on the FG.
 
Randy Wharton
N248RB XL/RG
 
  _____  

From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of bdtopp at comcast.net
Sent: Wednesday, April 06, 2005 8:39 AM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list; Velocity Aircraft Owners and
Builders list
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Good Friday Landing
 
Dave,
   Excellent job on your emergency landing!  You mentioned that your fuel
pumps (mech & elec) were located above the sump tank.  Maybe I am missing
something here, but, won't the mech. fuel pump always be above the sump
tank?  At best, the elec. fuel pump can be mounted even with the bottom of
the sump tank but not below it.  Maybe this is a difference between the
retract and fixed gear model sump tanks.  I have the fixed gear.  How do you
plan on moving fuel pumps below sump tank?
 
Bruce Topp
 
-------------- Original message -------------- 
On my Starduster with a homebuilt EFI, I had a similar event occur within
the first few hours of flying on a hot Summer day. Same cause... pulling
auto fuel uphill about 8 inches. I subsequently relocated my pumps (main and
back-up) BELOW the lowest part of the fuel tank and have had no more
problems (four years now). What's worse, I had warning signs that all was
not right. First was that I could see bubbles in the clear plastic fuel line
at the input of the pump and I simply thought, "..now why are all those
bubbles there?.. how could I have an air leak??" and went on to other
things. Second was the pump was howling (cavation I realized later) and I
wondered why a new pump was so noisy and went on to other things. Dumb? Yes,
but I was in new territory (for me) and had to learn by experience. Further,
at the beginning, I had no back-up f! uel system which I now have. 

Sid Knox
Oklahoma

Velocity N199RS
Starduster N666SK
KR2 N24TC
W7QJQ

> Our conclusion is fuel starvation caused the failure. I have talked to
many
> experts including our own Scot Baker and this is our finding. My fuel
> pumps were located above the sump tank requiring the pumps to suck uphill.

> My supply line to the pumps was 3/8 pipe and I am going to 1/2 inch. I had
> the old vent system with a 1/4 vent tube and no check valve. Will
> correcting these things prevent a future problem? I will find out. 



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