REFLECTOR: Fuel shutoff valve location

[Douglas Holub]

I would (in fact, did) use electric fuel pumps with built in bypass valves, or just put a bypass valve around the pumps, so that fuel will flow even if you lose electricity. I think it's more likely that electricity will fail than a circumstance in which shutting off the fuel will save you or the airplane. 

I expect there will be some disagreement here, and I think I could be wrong, but I figured that having a fuel shut-off valve wouldn't add much if anything to flight safety. If it was inaccessible from the front seat, it's main benefit would be for maintenance. If it was accesible from the front seat there's a chance it could get inadverdently shut off. Adding another pair of fuel connections that get ocassionally tugged on creates two more places for fuel to leak, not to mention the valve itself. I've got a flexible fuel line (with a stainless steel braided jacket) that runs from the sump to the engine. I can stop fuel flow behind the back seat with a small pair of needle nosed Vice Grips that I keep in the plane. Danny Maher omits a fuel shut-off valve on Big Orange in the tapes, and I assume he had his reasons.

Now don't anybody omit the fuel shut-off valve and then blame me if your plane burns up because you didn't have one. I could be wrong here-- just explaining why I did what I did.

Doug Holub
N2980W Standard FG, 63 hrs
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: nmflyer1 at aol.com 
  To: reflector at tvbf.org 
  Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2009 6:04 PM
  Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Fuel shutoff valve location


  Seems like when you deviate from the plans, there is a whole new frontier of possible problems that opens up. My situation is like that. I have the 4.3L V-6 that is mechanically fuel injected. The 2 fuel pumps sit in the gear well (FG version) and are always below the wings & half of the sump. 

  My fuel pumps are both electric and will not allow fuel to flow if they are off. I can run pump 1, pump 2 or both, but if I shut off the switches, the fuel stops. 

  I opted not to have fuel shutoff valves because of this setup. It would be easier for maintenance if I had some from the wing to the sump, but that is easy enough to deal with. 

  An item I mentioned in the past I will restate here. A flight test engineer (and homebuilder of at least 11 of his own airplanes) told me this was ALWAYS on his list of before 1st flight: 

  Rig the aircraft so that it is in a normal climb attitude, and SECURE IT WELL.  Then make sure the engine will run at climb power for 3 minutes without any problems before you fly it.  He said that this will find a multitude of things that you will not find doing level power run ups. 

  Just another thing on the list... but it might save your hide. 

   Kurt 

  -----Original Message-----
  From: Brian Michalk <michalk at awpi.com>
  To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
  Sent: Sun, Jul 19, 2009 4:33 pm
  Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Fuel shutoff valve location


I placed mine in the keel, where easy access was possible.  I had an
engine failure on the first flight.  I'm pretty sure it was a fuel
problem, and indications point to the pumps not having an adequate
supply of fuel, but tests afterwards indicate that I should have been
able to get them reprimed and pumping again.

Bottom line is, I'm not certain what caused my failure, but I am going
to relocate the shutoff valve next to the sump.

David Ullman wrote:
> Where have people put their fuel shutoff valve?  It seems stupid to put
> it where it can be reached.  Thus, I am currently planning on running
> the fuel line from the sump, up the center spine and putting the valve
> in a location I can reach and then running a line back around the sump
> and to the firewall fitting.  Thoughts??
> 
>  
> 
> David G. Ullman
> 
> ullman at robustdecisions.com <mailto:ullman at robustdecisions.com>
> 
> 541-754-3609
> 
> 
> 
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