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Message |
    
Allen F. Kittleson
New member
Username: Al38kit
Post Number: 5
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 - 03:37 pm: | |
I got to dig around the plane a little today (it's still on the trailer) and found both elevator cable turnbuckles tightened to their limit of thread. I have the inspection covers off the bottom rear tail and it appears the bell crank there is stable. It actually looks to me right now that the cables are too long.
Regarding the fuel tanks, if I made a change to allow the outboard to flow inboard, why would this have any effect on how much fuel I would need to have on board?...I would like to plumb the fuel return line so that it feeds back to the tank from which it is taken.
Can I make a large cutout on the top of the tanks between them and access this area and make a change?
Thanks,
Al |
Allen F. Kittleson
New member
Username: Al38kit
Post Number: 6
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 - 03:42 pm: | |
I'd like to find out about the "gears". Are these in the tail? |
Reinhard Metz
New member
Username: Reinhard_metz
Post Number: 81
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 - 07:32 pm: | |
Regarding the gears, they are on the rudder torque tubes inside the nosegear housing. What I would suggest, given there will be lot's more you will want to know, is that you get, or if you already have them - study the kit assembly manuals from front to back to get to know your airplane. Since it is a kit, I think that is highly recommendable.
As for the fuel tanks - if you have a pair of 45 gallon tanks, then to top them off you will carry 90 gallons. If you have four tanks - a pair of inner 25 gallons and a pair of outer 20 gallon auxes, then you can leave the auxes empty most of the time and with a top off fly with 50 gallons. Of course, if you have a Continental, then you either have a return line valve that selects the same tank as you are feeding from (which is more complicated with four tanks), or you choose a main for the returnand need to burn in the right sequence (or watch it go overboard), like the Beech Bonanzas.
Reinhard Metz
(Hi Bill!) |
Allen F. Kittleson
New member
Username: Al38kit
Post Number: 7
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Friday, September 14, 2007 - 06:26 am: | |
Reinhard, Great idea, I will get thoroughly acquainted with the plans before I go too far. Right now I'm trying to identify areas that are known to be potential problems so I can do it right the first time I go through the airplane.
Regarding the fuel tanks, I a little confused on your comment of topping them off. If a person constructed a single fuel port on the outboard wing and connected the two tanks, is there anything that should prevent take off and landings with, say, 15 or 20 gallons in the tank?
If it's inadvisable for some reason, I'd like to know now, before I cut into the tanks to link them together.
I do have a Continental engine with the return to the left inboard...the rest of the fuel system is a real mess and I'd like to simplify it.
Other than On/Off, I think the best I can come up with it L/Off/Rt...
Thanks again for the pics.
Al
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Jim Hurd
New member
Username: Jim_hurd
Post Number: 11
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Friday, September 14, 2007 - 10:59 am: | |
Al:
I converted a pair of wings from dual tanks to single tank configuration. I did this through 6" holes in the bottom of the wings. I also had to change the fuel probes. I have the continental 550 engine and the fuel selector has Off,right.left. The un-used fuel feeds back to the tank selected. drop me a line if I can help. |
Phil & Margie Hodge
New member
Username: N410mp
Post Number: 39
Registered: 01-2000
| | Posted on Friday, September 14, 2007 - 07:46 pm: | |
Allen - My CT had 4 tanks, and I preferred it that way. To me the condition of a tank is only known at preflight - it is either full or not full. Unless fuel is not available I do not take off without full tanks. Doesn't have to be all of them, but I want at least one tank that has a known quantity in it. Therefore with two tanks I need at least 45 gallons in one wing, which means at least 22 in the other or she's hard to fly straight. But since the 22 would only be a guess, I feel safer topping them both. With 4 tanks I can top two mains, at 25 gallons each, and take off with a known 50 gallons.
Another reason is that I believe there will be some changes in Avgas in the not too distant future. I don't know what they will be, but if we end up with another fuel along with 100LL, I will have more options to carry multiple types for different uses. It might be possible to take off with 100LL, and cruise with something cheaper or more environmentally friendly. So I'd keep one tank with nothing with 100LL, and the others with the alternate fuel plus the return from the IO550. I have no idea if such a scenario is reasonable, but preparing for it is free.
It's a personal thing. I know some pilots that don't bother to look in the tank during preflight. Too much trouble, the gauges have always worked. I don't like to trust gauges when there is a reasonable alternative, so I prefer 4 tanks.
Whatever you do, have fun. Phil |
Allen F. Kittleson
New member
Username: Al38kit
Post Number: 9
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Friday, September 14, 2007 - 08:11 pm: | |
Phil, Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I can see your point. Do you have a return line to each of your tanks? What type of valves do you use...? This one came with two Cessna types, output T-eed together and one return to the left inboard...and two indicators that didn't work... |
Phil & Margie Hodge
New member
Username: N410mp
Post Number: 40
Registered: 01-2000
| | Posted on Saturday, September 15, 2007 - 07:34 pm: | |
I had a 4 way selector for supply with a single return to the left inner. Originally wanted a 2 gang 4 way to return to the selected tank and also would highlight the appropriate gauge, but nothing was available at build time, so I went with what I could find. Once I got used to it I decided it wasn't worth the trouble to change. Don't remember the brand of the valve or the 4-in-1 gauge, sorry. |
Charles Wood
New member
Username: Cwood
Post Number: 6
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, September 16, 2007 - 09:58 am: | |
Allen; I too purchased wings with the dual tank setup. I opened them from the bottom, removed the plumbing from the outter tanks and opened the baffle between the outer and inner. I cut the baffle the same as the other in tank baffles insuring that there was no blockage on the bottom. I have a continental, so have a L/R selector with a return to each tank. If you opened up the wings, you could also plumb for the capacatance probe fuel quanity indicators. They are very accurate. The whole job sounds difficult, but is pretty easy, and just takes time. I have 27 hours on my Express so far. It flys great. |
Al Kittleson
New member
Username: Al38kit
Post Number: 10
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, September 16, 2007 - 04:17 pm: | |
Charles,
I'd like to get more detail of how you closed your openings...also, did you install any "flapper" valve between the tanks?
Any ideas on the return feel?
Feel free to email me: Alfranken@msn.com
Thanks,
Al |
Brian McKinney
New member
Username: Bmckinney
Post Number: 101
Registered: 05-2000
| | Posted on Friday, September 21, 2007 - 03:30 pm: | |
When I got my kit (from a previous builder) they were setup for the 4 tank configuration and had the cork float sender in the inboard tanks. For whatever reason at the time, I decided to create the 2 tank setup. I removed all the additional lines to the outboard tank, the cork float, plugged up the inboard filler hole, cut the flow AND vent holes in the center rib and installed the 8' long capacitance probe. The wings were still open so it was a quick and easy job.
It was also one of the first things I did as a new kit builder so it was a good learning experience to become familiar with simple layup tasks and patching holes, etc. As I got a few more hours into building, I realized they would have been fine the way they were...
...but now, considering that I haven't opened a can of resin or touched my kit in about 4 years, I am sure I will probably have to find something else to "practice" with when (if?) I get back to building... ;)
Have fun!
Brian
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henri walser
New member
Username: 43henri
Post Number: 12
Registered: 02-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 01:58 am: | |
Hello from Europe,
builder of a old original wheeler CT.
I just finish my first wing "marriage" with the fuselage with the fairing up and on the bottom , was a hell of a job. Now my connecttion of the flaps and the actuator are working fine from 0 down 40 degr. If somebody has some expirience in the air, wich are the best angle of the fflaps for T.O. , Appr. and Ldg. on the CT ? so can I fix my Flaps-selection-system position on my petestal-flapsselector.
Thanks Henry Walser (new e-mail htwb@orange.fr) |
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