REFLECTOR: Fuel shutoff valve location

Sun Jul 19 20:18:04 CDT 2009

I use an electric back up pump that will not flow if it fails, so I put
in a bypass valve(one way). 

Scott

Douglas Holub wrote:
> 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 <mailto:nmflyer1 at aol.com>
>     *To:* reflector at tvbf.org <mailto: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> <mailto:ullman at robustdecisions.com <mailto:ullman at robustdecisions.com?>>
>     > 
>     > 541-754-3609
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