REFLECTOR: Fuel imbalance

[Scott Derrick]

Mark, if it is attitude that is causing the fuel imbalance it is more 
likely rudder trim and not because you are in a aileron turn towards a 
crosswind. Our both-on fuel systems have a very low head(pressure) to 
feed the sump and just a bit of slip or skid will cause one to feed 
faster than the other as the low pressure flow in the main tanks is 
fighting the centripetal force in one tank and being aided by it in the 
other.

With a perfectly rigged airplane, having a single pilot will cause a 
slight imbalance(low wing), no wind, on the pilot side.  Just a slight 
bit of left rudder would correct this but we don't
  have rudder trim so we correct it with aileron and skid along the 
entire flight.

The T210's I fly have rudder trim, you can't really fly them with out 
using it.  I've neglected to correct the rudder trim when it was just a 
bit out and since the 210 also has a both-on selection the tanks would 
feed asymmetrically. Correcting the rudder trim would correct the 
imbalanced fuel flow.

Scott


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Fuel imbalance
From: Mark Magee <edjonesbrady at gmail.com>
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
Date: 02/17/2013 08:37 AM

> Hi Scott,
> My autopilot is not hooked (currently) to the rudders, it is a 3 axis however. My ALT HOLD function was acting up so I disabled it; heading bug on S-TEC ( sorry I said TruTrak earlier, a few airplanes ago...)
> No worries, nothing to disagree with really. I told you what happened to me.
>
> Mark B. Magee
> N34XL
> Sent from IPhone 4S
>
> On Feb 17, 2013, at 8:47 AM, Scott Derrick <scott at tnstaafl.net> wrote:
>
>> Sorry I can't agree with this.  In  coordinated turn, which th Velocity does with ease using no rudder, the fuel should be perfectly balanced. If your auto pilot was hooked up to your rudders and you were skidding or slipping along, yes that will imbalance the fuel tanks.
>>
>> -------- Original Message --------
>> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Fuel imbalance
>> From: Mark Magee <edjonesbrady at gmail.com>
>> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
>> Date: 02/15/2013 04:27 PM
>>
>>> Hi Richard,
>>> When I flew from Deer Valley AZ to Brady TX 2 years ago in my XLFG I must have had a N wind on a W to E course for halfway home I had nothing showing on my starboard tank, port side nearly full. TruTrack Otto holding a heading on the heading bug had my left wing down and I drained that starboard tank. I think this can happen when we are not flying a crab angle, but with with an autopilot only using awl iron control to maintain heading
>>>
>>> Mark B. Magee
>>> N34XL
>>> Sent from IPhone 4S
>>>
>>> On Feb 15, 2013, at 2:40 PM, "Richard J. Gentil" <richard at naples-air-center.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Last Sunday I was flying back to Naples, FL from Augusta, GA in my SERG. I took off with 25 a side.
>>>>
>>>> As I flew down the right tank was the only tank feeding fuel to the sump tank. When I hit the VNAV point for Naples the right tank was at 6 gallons.
>>>>
>>>> When I stated to descend the left tank started to feed the sump tank and actually transfer fuel to the right tank.
>>>>
>>>> Any ideas what could have been going on?
>>>>
>>>> Richard
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPhone 5
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