PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - 737NG Dual center tank pump fail
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Old 3rd Oct 2014, 19:15
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Oakape
 
Join Date: May 2007
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The chart in the link above is for the entire fuel load. The aircraft is supposed to be loaded with main tanks first, then the centre tank. And fuel is supposed to be used from the centre tank first & then from the mains.

So on this chart, the first 7.6 - 7.8 tonne is the main tank fuel, which moves the MAC forward as it is loaded & back as it is burnt. The rest is the centre tank fuel, which moves the MAC rearward as it is loaded & forward as it is burnt.

There is no chart that displays what happens when fuel remains in the centre tank while main tank fuel is burnt, as this is not normally what happens. However, from the chart you can deduce that MAC will move rearward as main tank fuel is used. Using the example in the initial question, with full mains & 5 tonne in the centre tank, the moment for fuel would be about +1.6 MAC. Then, if the centre tank pumps both fail at that point, MAC would be moving rearwards as fuel was burnt from the main tanks. A 2 tonne burn from full tanks would equate to about -5.3 movement in MAC. (from about +9 MAC back to +3.7 MAC). So +1.6 less 5.3 gives a -3.8 MAC movement for fuel burn.

As has been said, the effect of this movement would depend on how the aircraft was initially loaded. I don't believe that it is likely to take the aircraft outside C of G limits. Boeing obviously don't think so as well, as there is no mention of C of G problems in the QRH for both centre tank pumps failing. In fact, that checklist is very low key, except for a gentle reminder not to run out of fuel! I guess the only time you would have to be aware is when the centre tanks pumps fail shortly after departure & the aircraft was loaded close to the aft C of G. In that case, you would most likely be considering a return to the departure airport anyway. In that case, you would only have to be careful if you were planning to burn off fuel prior to the landing.
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