The red lights are all on..
A very interesting thread.
My Robin has 4 fuel tanks. It is only possible to visibly check the wing tanks. For this reason I included in the new-build spec' an EDM700 engine monitoring system with Fuel flow - a super accurate bit of kit if the blurb is to be believed! - in order to provide me with additional information.
3 years later, the fuel flow transducer is still in the box.
I have given up trying to fit it - beaurocracy has beaten me.
So - here we have a useful bit of kit in wide use in the USA but not here.
What I do now is fill the (4th) long range tank only occasionaly, run the main until the guage is near the empty mark and the fuel light starts flashing (indicating 20 litres - ish remaining) - and only then use the wing tanks. These hold almost exactly an hours fuel each.
My bladder thereafter requires me to land well before I need some gas. Simple!
(Anybody out there want to take over the certification of the Fuel Flow for me? I realise that it will cost.)
As far as my old planes are concerned - even simpler!
I just ignore the guages completely - quaint as they are - and use my calibrated wooden stick.
One of them is weight critical so filling it up with 32 gallons of fuel just aint an option if I want to take a passenger or two (no accident that my lovely girlfriend is built like a racing snake...!
Running out of fuel and hitting a house? These facts alone are pretty damning. However, in case of a conviction - (who can predict this with certainty? - nobody!) - the magistrate will listen intently to mitigating circumstances before the inevitable 'take out your wallet and repeat after me - help yourself'.
There are a lot of 'holier than thou' pilots out there.
Hands up all those who have heard those immortal words from their passenger(s) - 'you've gone a bit quiet. Is everything OK?'
My words of wisdom are these - applicable to many aspects of aviation.
IF THERE IS A DOUBT, THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT.
HP