I shouldn't be too hard on GA.
The problem you ran into is maybe not so much one of fuel systems and cheap gauges. Its probably more a 'culture shock' as you transition from one operating culture to another.
Good GA operators are just as disciplined as other operations. Just different. You will not receive anywhere near the support you may be used to in your previous life. A lot of the ex-service pilots I sit next to had the benefit of some excellent training. A lot of the ex-GA people I sit next to are equally good pilots but have highly developed cunning and self reliance! They are used to equipment that is often not of the same quality as may be found in a PC9 and bigger. The people renting you the aeroplane may or may not be well trained and knowledgeable.
The discipline with fuel on navs is to know the engine management techniques, know the recorded fuel burns and know the vagaries of the GA fuel systems, which include...
- wet wings vs bladder tanks that lift and change shape.
- rocking the wings to let water drain to the drain points
- tipping the drained fuel over your fingertips to feel if it is Avgas and not just a whole bottle of water you just pulled out of the wing (tropical pilots know it well)
- making sure the drains are properly seated and aren't leaking after you drain them
- ALWAYS dipping the tanks at each stop to confirm your fuel log = dips = gauges.
- Knowing the expected quantity to be added in litres before you start the bowser.
- Knowing your engine handling and leaning techniques.
Other little things that come to mind.
The plumbing in the Cessnas runs from the inboard of the tank, down through the forward door pillar, under your feet and then to the fuel tank selector, then onwards to the firewall.
I believe the rotary fuel tank selector is the same valve in all 100 and 200 series Cessnas, allowing for selection of LEFT, RIGHT, BOTH and OFF except in some models the BOTH (pointing forward) selection is not available due to the design of the centre console. Unless of course when you are in real trouble and you grab your leatherman, undo the handle and use the leatherman to turn the spindle to a BOTH position
Do the club thing. Kick around on saturday afternoons etc, meet the pilots that fly them and especially the engineer that maintains them. Find out where they keep the fuel burn records, etc. Don't be too fast to tell them all YOUR war stories, because like most civvy pilots, they will shut up to be polite (or shut up and hope you will eventually go away) and think that a warrie about a piper warrior does not compare to a warrie about a caribou in the highlands. You will learn a lot if you let them tell you THEIR war stories!
