C172 Fuel Management
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C172 Fuel Management
Howdy all. Have recently started flying Cessnas after doing most of my flying to now in low wing aircraft. In low wing aircraft I switch between tanks every 30 mins. Whats the deal with Cessnas? Leave the selector on 'BOTH' or switch between tanks every 30 mins as per low wing aircraft?
Interested in your thoughts.
Interested in your thoughts.
Join Date: Feb 2006
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Leave it on 'both'. Simple! 
Oh and keep the ball in the middle or the fuel will head 'downhill'
Oh and if you park it on a slope with full tanks don't expect the tanks to be full in the morning (fuel transfer itself to the down hill tank and out of the vent (there's a wee little pipe between the tanks to allow to the fuel to move between the two tanks)).
My 2 cents.
Oh and keep the ball in the middle or the fuel will head 'downhill'
Oh and if you park it on a slope with full tanks don't expect the tanks to be full in the morning (fuel transfer itself to the down hill tank and out of the vent (there's a wee little pipe between the tanks to allow to the fuel to move between the two tanks)).
My 2 cents.
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Our company has a few 210's and they can vary. One has the fuel selector mod with a 'both' position, the others just have left or right. Curiously, even though in the fuel system schematic there isn't any crossfeed pipe between the tanks, the fuel still seems to find it's way from one tank to the other if you leave it on a slope, despite the fuel selector being off 
If anyone can correct me please do so, it has me very confused!!
If anyone can correct me please do so, it has me very confused!!
Join Date: Dec 2007
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unless ur flyin a 206 or what ever that has OFF, LEFT or RIGHT. there isn't a both. so yer do your thing(30min or 20min on each tank) what ever works for you.
Keep the shinny side up
GP
Keep the shinny side up
GP
Curiously, even though in the fuel system schematic there isn't any crossfeed pipe between the tanks, the fuel still seems to find it's way from one tank to the other if you leave it on a slope, despite the fuel selector being off
That's why the 182 checklist calls for selecting the right tank when securing the aircraft, it disconnects the two tanks.
With a pretty complex fuel system like a C172 you really need to be on the ball. It has a myriad of different fuel settings and if you cock it up the aircraft does not glide very well so your options become somewhat limited.
I suggest at least gaining 1000 hours in a similar aircraft such as a 152 until you get on top of the fuel systems complexities before you tackle something like the 172.
You should then at least do 10 hours dual with an instructor to complete the C172 type endorsement and some duel cross country time focusing specifically on fuel management before you even suggest taking off as PIC.
It is also pretty easy to get behind the aircraft due to its excessive speed and the difficulty an aviator has in slowing it down enough to extend the flaps in the circuit. The last thing you need to be doing is worrying about the fuel system in such a complex high speed aircraft.
In all honesty leave it on Both convert the tank contents to minutes and log your "on time" and every 30 or so minutes reduce the endurance by that amount!
Safe flying!
I suggest at least gaining 1000 hours in a similar aircraft such as a 152 until you get on top of the fuel systems complexities before you tackle something like the 172.
You should then at least do 10 hours dual with an instructor to complete the C172 type endorsement and some duel cross country time focusing specifically on fuel management before you even suggest taking off as PIC.
It is also pretty easy to get behind the aircraft due to its excessive speed and the difficulty an aviator has in slowing it down enough to extend the flaps in the circuit. The last thing you need to be doing is worrying about the fuel system in such a complex high speed aircraft.
In all honesty leave it on Both convert the tank contents to minutes and log your "on time" and every 30 or so minutes reduce the endurance by that amount!
Safe flying!
Last edited by The Green Goblin; 31st Aug 2009 at 12:30.
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Thank god your not flying a Tobago, where the little frenchies at SOCATA decided to position OFF between LEFT and RIGHT on the fuel selector, with no detent to know if you have selected your desired setting.
When it comes time to switch tanks my method is this; FUEL PUMP -- ON, FIELD -- SIGHTED, BREATHE -- DEEP, TANKS -- CHANGE EXPEDITIOUSLY
And hope for the best..
After saying that, how many hours should one accumulate before attempting such a complex system GG??
When it comes time to switch tanks my method is this; FUEL PUMP -- ON, FIELD -- SIGHTED, BREATHE -- DEEP, TANKS -- CHANGE EXPEDITIOUSLY
And hope for the best..
After saying that, how many hours should one accumulate before attempting such a complex system GG??
I prefer to fill the tanks that are already in the aeroplane as opposed to putting in a set of full tanks. They are pretty heavy eeper and Mr cessna made it pretty hard to open the wing!
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Sorry I should have explained better. I mod my wings and seal the fuel caps so I cant leave them off when I go flying. As a result, if I need to re-fill my tanks, I need to put in new tanks. Hope this helps. If you are interested in a c172 endorsement, let me know!
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j3pipercub, from your lack of experience in high powered single engine aircraft, im going to quote you 25hours dual for the endorsement. My going rate is $400/hr + $50 for your logbook sticker.
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When it comes time to switch tanks my method is this; FUEL PUMP -- ON, FIELD -- SIGHTED, BREATHE -- DEEP, TANKS -- CHANGE EXPEDITIOUSLY
And hope for the best..
And hope for the best..
Changing tanks would have to be one of the riskiest manoeuvres in General Aviation.
I always need to have a very good reason to change in flight and even then with a suitable field in sight. (and I mean road access etc). As a LAME and CPL I have seen so many aircraft come to grief needlessly.
Some of these fuel cocks and the likes need continual maintenance... nothing can be taken for granted. All the more so on an aging aircraft.
Personally I think changing tanks every 30 mins is madness. At least look out the window before placing your hand on it.
So many pilots assume moving the selector will work flawlessly...... all the time.
More likely a lottery to engine failure in my eyes.