Okay guys,
that's all good.
What I don't get, is that EC wants to charge extra, what I would call an essential item, considering the rest of the equipment.
I would certainly assume that it should be a standard/basic feature on a full-blown IFR-MEGHAS ship. Maybe on an old VFR ship you sell this as a "useful" add-on, but on a glass-cockpit-IFR ship - it should be included....
Anyway, based on the answers given, I understand there is no way to look at the panel and get a direct info on "flow + time remaining", without having to calculate - so the fuel management option will be added! (And again, it is a "no-weight option" - just software, extra charge....)
RVDT!
YOU assumed right! I have a few hours rotor time (11.5K and counting)
I know what you get at, and you certainly right!
Just as a basis for discussion, here is what I did in the past/present:
ALL VFR in mostly hostile terrain.
My first two jobs, I did not have a fuel gauge! Everything done by watch!
Of course it is possible to do it by fuel level and watch alone, but:
At my present job (long lining in a mining project) you would have an extremly hard time to do the watch thing, due to the ever changing weights you fly. Flying time with the same fuel load can vary as much as 30 min (50% fuel load).
Fuel gauges are regularly checked/calibrated (tanks drained and refilled by the gallon to check low fuel light and quantity indication).
So they are actually VERY acurate!
I got very appreciative of the "time remaining" feature on the 350 VEMD (by the way in the EC120 you have to pay extra for this too).
It is extremly helpful to know that under pick-up load time remaining may show 27 min to "zero fuel", however once under way power required drops and I will get some 7-9 min back (35 min) - indicated on the VEMD (no need to guess fuel flow and calculate).
One of the missions for this ship(EC135) will be SAR, medevac - over generally hostile terrain. Although we certainly will not plunge into this from zero, we expect to work up to night and IFR missions fairly quickly.
As it is, the EC135 seems to be a rather heavy ship already and fuel will be a limiting factor. Being able to get a few more minutes, based on
exact data available may be crucial someday.
But don't worry RVDT, if I ever get close to my empirical flight times on the same fuel load and the gauges/indicators didn't change - I'll be on the ground before the big silence screams at me!
Thanks for all your inputs!
Is there anything else I should consider? experiences? suggestions?
Tomorrow (Monday) is the last round with EC to freeze the order spec sheet ....
Cheers,
3top
