A320 outer tanks
Hello airbus pilots.
I'm wondering to know if with the outer tank empty due to refueling without ac power the airplane is release to fly It happens some time tath I found it empty and I believe Mr airbus daes it not even think to this possibility, in fact I had some report tath in this condition the warning "outer tank temp high" may come on (in very hot days) Any info on tath? Regards |
Yes it's allowed. The minimum fuel for take off is just 1500KG which would mean the outer tanks must be empty.
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If you want to be sure about the actual aircraft... Just check the Mel -> xfer valves fault (or failed) in open position .... If the dispatch is granted you have the official answer :) (which is YES you can ;) )
Outer tank high temp may be triggered On a very hot day... But if you look "through" the procedure(fuel l (r) outer tank high temp) the real problem exists while the outer tank is full and your temp is high ... The procedure is to disconnect the idg or to increase your fuel flow to try to cool down your idg and this applies at temps 65 or 57 degrees while the auto ignition temp Is around 210 degrees .... So the real concern is rather your idg overheat I think :) your ecam advisory MSG is triggered for fuel temp higher than 45 or 55 degrees and the recommended action is to switch your galley power off (reduce your idg loads ) |
ulisse: When you have a/c power on the aircraft why don't you just do a "ground transfer of fuel" to refill the outers? The old FCOM2 refers. Only takes about 5 minutes - same as the walkaround! I have frequently done this.
PS: remember to have the crossfeed open otherwise you will cock up the distribution! NB |
Without power the valves wont close when you refuel. There is a CofG correction in the FCOM so that you don't need to transfer the fuel once you have power on to be within limits.
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Thanks to every one wich give some highlights on this matter
My idea on tath is related on the principle tath if it has been designed in a way can not work in a different way or at leas you are exploring on your own a field where you can find some surprise (I.e. triggering unusual ecam warning) But such as principle daes not work on airbus machines |
Yes it's allowed. The minimum fuel for take off is just 1500KG which would mean the outer tanks must be empty. So you might takeoff with tips empty but they would not remain empty but of course would flow to the other tanks, eventually, there is no transfer per se in the air, as you know. |
It's happened because you have refuelled on BATT only.
As soon as the engines are started the outer tanks fill up because of the IDG/Fuel heat exchanger which returns fuel to the outer tanks. The transfer valves run off DC not AC. |
FCOM PER-LOD-FUL FUEL
GROUND FUEL TRANSFER Applicable to: ALL On cockpit overhead FUEL panel PUMPS (of the tanks not to be defueled) OFF MODE SEL MAN PUMPS (of the tank to be defueled) ON if left wing and/or center tanks is (are) to be defueled : X FEED ON OPEN light comes on. On refueling control panel : REFUEL VALVES (of tanks not to be filled) SHUT REFUEL VALVES (of tanks to be filled) OPEN MODE SELECT DEFUEL/XFR OPEN light comes on. FUEL QTY MONITOR When the tank contents reach the required level : Corresponding REFUEL VALVES SHUT MODE SELECT OFF*and*GUARDED OPEN light goes out. REFUEL VALVES NORM*and*GUARDED Set cockpit FUEL panel to normal configuration. There is no restriction on flying with the tip tanks empty, but obviously there is a weight and balance concern. Also when the engines run the tip tanks will slowly fill, as the fuel that is used to cool the idg oil is recirculated into the tip tanks. |
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