Desert Flower
It's not just 310's. It is all Cessna series with tip tanks - 340's, 402's & 421's. And some aircraft have their own peculiar little quirks. I remember an Adelaide based 402B that caught out every pilot that flew it, because you couldn't run on the aux. tanks for as long as the manual said or it would start to cough & splutter!
If the fuel system doesn’t work as in accordance with the pilot’s operating handbook or flight manual them it should be written up in the maintenance release. There is obviously something wrong with it. I have a lot of experience in Cessna, Piper and Beachcraft twins and while the Beachcraft fuel system is very simple to use, the quantity indicators are shocking. Piper isn’t much better. Now while the Cessna fuel system on aircraft fitted with tip tanks is a legacy of refinements over the years, in my opinion, it is no more complicated to use than a PA30 or PA31. Infact I would say that the PA30 has the most complicated fuel system in terms of pilot management than all the light twins I have flown. A thorough knowledge of the fuel system is a mandatory requirement of all pilots. I just hope that this accident isn’t a result of another pilot not knowing his fuel system inside out.
