PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Fuselage Fuel Tanks
View Single Post
Old 23rd Jan 2017, 20:47
  #1 (permalink)  
Mach Stall
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Miami, FL
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Fuselage Fuel Tanks

What specific regulatory (and/or practical industry) restrictions are there on the use of fuselage fuel tanks (located outside of the cabin pressure vessel) in transport category aircraft?

I've seen FAR Part § 25.963, which constrains emergency landing impact/scraping specifically for fuselage fuel tanks and FAR Part § 121.255 which constrains fuel tanks that are in designated fire zones. Are there other restrictions?

I'm curious why the transport industry has such sparse use of fuselage tanks. I certainly understand the advantages of reducing the wing bending moment as to why most of the fuel is traditionally located in the wings -- but I'm surprised there are not more fuselage aux tanks. Such fuselage tanks seem to be more common in longer range business aircraft (Learjet 60XR comes to mind).
Mach Stall is offline