REFLECTOR: fuel tank placards

[doug.holub at tx.rr.com]

My question wasn't about how conservative a person should be when flight planning, I just didn't know how accurate the fuel placards needed to be, or really what they were used for. I didn't realize that builders intentionally put less fuel on the placards than the plane actually held so that there would be a "secret reserve."  

---- Keith Hallsten <KeithHallsten at quiknet.com> wrote: 
> Terry,
> 
> Naturally you cannot include in your flight planning any strake capacity
> that won't actually drain to the sump.  That is physically "unusable".  
> 
> The question of how much "usable" fuel you want to have on board at landing
> at a minimum is a separate question, and is spoken to by both the FARs and
> common sense.  Velocity aircraft generally have enough fuel capacity that it
> isn't too hard to plan to have a reasonable and comfortable reserve.
> 
> In my original post I should more precisely have said, ". . . only consider
> the USABLE capacity of the strake tanks in the capacity labeling".
> 
> Keith
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
> Behalf Of Terry Miles
> Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 6:25 PM
> To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: fuel tank placards
> 
> Keith,
> For POH reasons and with the assumption that real life xc fuel planning
> follows what you put in the POH.  Are you considering that all the fuel in
> the main tanks is usable?  I am inclined to say I am at dry tanks with 5
> gals in each wing, but I be happy to see what others use for "usuable"  or
> said another way what is the min fuel you want to see on landing at your
> alternate.
> Thanks for the input,
> Terry
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
> Behalf Of Keith Hallsten
> Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 6:47 PM
> To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: fuel tank placards
> 
> Doug,
> 
> It's your call, but I would consider all of the sump to be either "unusable"
> or "emergency reserve" and only consider the capacity of the strake tanks in
> the capacity labeling.
> 
> Keith Hallsten
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
> Behalf Of doug.holub at tx.rr.com
> Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 2:30 PM
> To: reflector at tvbf.org
> Subject: REFLECTOR: fuel tank placards, Torx head screws
> 
> My left and right fuel tanks hold 25.5 gallons each. My sump holds 5
> gallons, but 2 gallons at the bottom of the sump are not reachable. Do I
> placard my fuel tanks for 25.5 gallons plus half of the usable sump? Or half
> of the whole sump? Or just the tanks?
> 
> I saw an ad in one of the magazines a few months ago for Torx head stainless
> steel 100 degree flat head screws. I bought some and they work just great.
> I've been taking the cowl off and on a lot the past few months, and they
> never strip out. I've got a Torx head for a small electric screwdriver. 
> 
> www.microfaseners.com
> 
> They don't call them Torx, they call them "6 Lobe Drive". You'll find them
> under "Socket Screws".
> 
> Doug Holub, sprinting to the finish line
> 
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