How are planes fueled?
08-05-2007 | 10:49 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Tomball,
TX
How are planes fueled?
I am starting to get the r/c plane infection. I had boats and all kinds of r/c cars in the past, but never any experience with planes. How are they fueled exactly???
08-05-2007 | 11:00 PM
#2
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,657
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: elkton,
MD
RE: How are planes fueled?
with a manual or electric pump. some have 2 lines coming from the tank, and some have 3. the ones with 3 have a dedicated fill line, and the other 2 are for fuel to the carb and a pressure line from the muffler. the ones with 2 lines i use the carb one to fill and the pressure one for over flow
08-05-2007 | 11:56 PM
#3
Senior Member
RE: How are planes fueled?
One other thing to keep in mind, seeing as you are in FL. is moisture in the air. If you fuel isn't used up quickly enough, it will absorbe moisture from the air, if it is exposed to the air. If you burn a gallon every couple months, there isn't any problem but if you only pump a gallon ever year or two, follow this advise.
Using the two line system, connect a line from the overflow (muffler) back to the fuel jug. Your filler usually has a vent on it with an Oring fitting to stick the fuel spigot into. Make a second fuel line with two fuel spiggots on it and put one end into the vent of the jug, and the other to the overflow(muffler) line. Now when you are filling, the air in the jug is being supplied by the air expelled from the tank. When emptying the tank, the same thing happens in reverse. You end up with a closed system of sorts, other than when you are attaching the lines. This keeps the moisture pickup from the air to a minimum
In addition to fueling, you should also de-fuel at the end of each day. A partial tank of fuel setting around for a while will cause you problems. Again, if you are a three times a week flyer, not to worry, but it is good practice to de-fuel your tank at the end of each flying day. Who knows you may get side tracked for some reason for a month or so, and end up with sludge in the tank.
The guy at the field that pointed this out to me also recommended that if you are going to store your plane over the winter, ie for a few months, it is a good idea to fill the tank and then loop a piece of fuel line from the overflow to carb line, or use fuel dots in each line. That makes sense as that is always what I did storing my boats for the winter. No moisture acculimated in the gas that way. Same applies to cars. Real ones I mean.
You can skipp all this though by flying every couple days and make sure you rotate planes. I just realized I have one that hasn't been in the air for at least six months and I fly at least twice a week. Maybe I should dust it off tomorrow.
Don
Using the two line system, connect a line from the overflow (muffler) back to the fuel jug. Your filler usually has a vent on it with an Oring fitting to stick the fuel spigot into. Make a second fuel line with two fuel spiggots on it and put one end into the vent of the jug, and the other to the overflow(muffler) line. Now when you are filling, the air in the jug is being supplied by the air expelled from the tank. When emptying the tank, the same thing happens in reverse. You end up with a closed system of sorts, other than when you are attaching the lines. This keeps the moisture pickup from the air to a minimum
In addition to fueling, you should also de-fuel at the end of each day. A partial tank of fuel setting around for a while will cause you problems. Again, if you are a three times a week flyer, not to worry, but it is good practice to de-fuel your tank at the end of each flying day. Who knows you may get side tracked for some reason for a month or so, and end up with sludge in the tank.
The guy at the field that pointed this out to me also recommended that if you are going to store your plane over the winter, ie for a few months, it is a good idea to fill the tank and then loop a piece of fuel line from the overflow to carb line, or use fuel dots in each line. That makes sense as that is always what I did storing my boats for the winter. No moisture acculimated in the gas that way. Same applies to cars. Real ones I mean.
You can skipp all this though by flying every couple days and make sure you rotate planes. I just realized I have one that hasn't been in the air for at least six months and I fly at least twice a week. Maybe I should dust it off tomorrow.
Don
