Cessna 172 Fuel Imbalances
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Australia
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It's normal
Hi Guys,
Don't get too excited it is just a Cessna thing all the way up to and including the Caravan. In fact if you ever fly in a Caravan you will see that the pilot has either left or right tank selected most of the time to keep the fuel balanced. Maximum allowable fuel imbalanace is 300 LBS from memory. About the only time they have both selected is for take off and landing as is required by the check list. I think, as previous posters mentioned, that it is a combination of high wing and balanced flight. That is why most Cessna owners will turn the fuel off or select left or right when parked on ground that is not level. have fun.
Groggy.
Don't get too excited it is just a Cessna thing all the way up to and including the Caravan. In fact if you ever fly in a Caravan you will see that the pilot has either left or right tank selected most of the time to keep the fuel balanced. Maximum allowable fuel imbalanace is 300 LBS from memory. About the only time they have both selected is for take off and landing as is required by the check list. I think, as previous posters mentioned, that it is a combination of high wing and balanced flight. That is why most Cessna owners will turn the fuel off or select left or right when parked on ground that is not level. have fun.
Groggy.
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Darwin, Australia
Age: 53
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C208 max imbalance is 200 lb.
If pax comments about the low fuel lights start getting on your nerves you can turn the full tank off - when they see the red 'fuel off' light and hear the horn they stop worrying about the little yellow light.
I know of pilots that pop the low fuel lights before flight - I don't agree with this as they are a great way of checking the calibration of the fuel gauges. In the C208 they start flickering at about 200lb and come on solid at about 170lb IF flying in balance. If only they were blue or green rather than yellow...
If pax comments about the low fuel lights start getting on your nerves you can turn the full tank off - when they see the red 'fuel off' light and hear the horn they stop worrying about the little yellow light.
I know of pilots that pop the low fuel lights before flight - I don't agree with this as they are a great way of checking the calibration of the fuel gauges. In the C208 they start flickering at about 200lb and come on solid at about 170lb IF flying in balance. If only they were blue or green rather than yellow...
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hamilton NZ
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SM227
Have a look at Waikato Aero Clubs latest news letter. There is an article there called "Tech Note" No 3 from Cessna Pilots association regarding this fuel imbalance. Looks like it was revised in 1996.Its a bit older but may shed some light.
