Simviation Forum - Wanted: A working gas guage!

May 3^rd, 2010 at 11:29pm

U4EA Ex Member

This guy appears to have some landing skills though!

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/CAF35BEBF16...

I love the first entry in the Comments section.....
"WHEN THE PROP QUITS SPINNING, IT'S TIME TO FIND ANY SUITABLE PLACE TO SET IT DOWN, THERE'S ONLY 1 (ONE) CHANCE TO LAND DEADSTICK, takeoffs are optional, landings are mandatory"

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Reply #1 - May 3^rd, 2010 at 11:55pm

beaky Offline
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The fuel gauges are a backup, really... I generally ignore them.

This pilot either didn't know how much fuel he had to begin with, how much he was burning per minute, or both... if he did, he wouldn't have gotten into such a situation, unless he was hoping the plane would magically burn less fuel because he needed it to. That usually doesn't work too well. Grin

I'd also wager that he got lost, which is a good way to lose track of your fuel-remaining estimate. But knowing how to determine where you are is a pretty simple way to avoid getting lost. Grin

And time elapsed is time elapsed, whether you know where you are or not. Even when lost, you need to keep track of your time. Time=fuel; endurance is always more important than distance.

A really sweet off-airport landing is nothing to be proud of if your tanks are dry when you arrive... Roll Eyes

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Reply #2 - May 4^th, 2010 at 4:14am

Fozzer Offline
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I suspect that the CAA will look VERY seriously on this event.

They have little time for Pilots who run out of fuel without a legitimate excuse.
They can lose their Licence?

Paul.

"Gauge"

« Last Edit: May 4^th, 2010 at 3:45pm by Fozzer »

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Reply #3 - May 4^th, 2010 at 3:37pm

olderndirt Offline
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beaky wrote on May 3^rd, 2010 at 11:55pm:

A really sweet off-airport landing is nothing to be proud of if your tanks are dry when you arrive... Roll Eyes

Any off airport landing with dry tanks, where you don't kill yourself and/or anyone else, not even bend the plane, is not to be sniffed at. The FAA's mission is to find fault and, rest assured, they will.

THIS IS NOT A PANAM CLIPPER

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Reply #4 - May 4^th, 2010 at 6:01pm

Brett_Henderson Offline
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EVERY OUTER MARKER SHOULD
BE AN NDB

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I know him.. and I'm pretty sure I've flown that 172..

Can't make out the N-number, but the paint-job looks familiar.. If it's N581ES.. it has many lines in my logbook .. Shocked

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Reply #5 - May 4^th, 2010 at 6:34pm

beaky Offline
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Brett_Henderson wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 6:01pm:

I know him.. and I'm pretty sure I've flown that 172..

Can't make out the N-number, but the paint-job looks familiar.. If it's N581ES.. it has many lines in my logbook .. Shocked

So tell us- is it prone to "running out of gas"? Grin

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Reply #6 - May 4^th, 2010 at 6:37pm

Brett_Henderson Offline
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EVERY OUTER MARKER SHOULD
BE AN NDB

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Well... according to www.flightaware.com .. N581ES was filed from KOSU to KCPS on that day..

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Reply #7 - May 4^th, 2010 at 6:45pm

Brett_Henderson Offline
Colonel
EVERY OUTER MARKER SHOULD
BE AN NDB

Gender:
Posts: 3593

beaky wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 6:34pm:

Brett_Henderson wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 6:01pm:

I know him.. and I'm pretty sure I've flown that 172..

Can't make out the N-number, but the paint-job looks familiar.. If it's N581ES.. it has many lines in my logbook .. Shocked

So tell us- is it prone to "running out of gas"? Grin

You know ? If I remeber correctly, it was "thirsty".. I flew it a few years ago after an engine replacement.. I didn't get too far before oil-pressure problems.. it drank 2 quarts in 30 minutes.. I landed at KMRT.. OVER-filled it with oil and flew it back to KOSU... It soon after left my club, for the club it's in now .. Many reported it had an appetite for fuel, too..

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Reply #8 - May 4^th, 2010 at 8:40pm

beaky Offline
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Brett_Henderson wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 6:45pm:

beaky wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 6:34pm:

Brett_Henderson wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 6:01pm:

I know him.. and I'm pretty sure I've flown that 172..

Can't make out the N-number, but the paint-job looks familiar.. If it's N581ES.. it has many lines in my logbook .. Shocked

So tell us- is it prone to "running out of gas"? Grin

You know ? If I remeber correctly, it was "thirsty".. I flew it a few years ago after an engine replacement.. I didn't get too far before oil-pressure problems.. it drank 2 quarts in 30 minutes.. I landed at KMRT.. OVER-filled it with oil and flew it back to KOSU... It soon after left my club, for the club it's in now .. Many reported it had an appetite for fuel, too..

Okay, but...
I am usually very reticent to bash any pilot, even when they screw up, but there's something about a 2500-hr pilot running out of fuel on a routine flight in a familiar airplane that is just laughable.

Obviously the "book" consumption figures can't always be trusted, which is why we're supposed to plan conservatively (if not pessimistically) and also plan on having a reserve. Assuming all this fuel-exhaustion business is true in this case, I'd love to know what planning, if any, he did concerning fuel.

I have done, and will probably do, many stupid things with aircraft, but I am almost 100% certain that running both tanks dry in flight will never be one of them. There's simply no acceptable excuse for it.

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Reply #9 - May 4^th, 2010 at 9:22pm

olderndirt Offline
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Rochester, WA

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beaky wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 8:40pm:

Brett_Henderson wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 6:45pm:

beaky wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 6:34pm:

Brett_Henderson wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 6:01pm:

I know him.. and I'm pretty sure I've flown that 172..

Can't make out the N-number, but the paint-job looks familiar.. If it's N581ES.. it has many lines in my logbook .. Shocked

So tell us- is it prone to "running out of gas"? Grin

You know ? If I remeber correctly, it was "thirsty".. I flew it a few years ago after an engine replacement.. I didn't get too far before oil-pressure problems.. it drank 2 quarts in 30 minutes.. I landed at KMRT.. OVER-filled it with oil and flew it back to KOSU... It soon after left my club, for the club it's in now .. Many reported it had an appetite for fuel, too..

Okay, but...
I am usually very reticent to bash any pilot, even when they screw up, but there's something about a 2500-hr pilot running out of fuel on a routine flight in a familiar airplane that is just laughable.

Obviously the "book" consumption figures can't always be trusted, which is why we're supposed to plan conservatively (if not pessimistically) and also plan on having a reserve. Assuming all this fuel-exhaustion business is true in this case, I'd love to know what planning, if any, he did concerning fuel.

I have done, and will probably do, many stupid things with aircraft, but I am almost 100% certain that running both tanks dry in flight will never be one of them. There's simply no acceptable excuse for it.

Is your soapbox simple pine or hand-carved oak?

THIS IS NOT A PANAM CLIPPER

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Reply #10 - May 4^th, 2010 at 10:13pm

Brett_Henderson Offline
Colonel
EVERY OUTER MARKER SHOULD
BE AN NDB

Gender:
Posts: 3593

I'm not comfy casting blame, either... but I do like to analyze..

Sans razor accurate navigating, that was at least a 360nm flight.. any headwind at all (likely on a westerly course), and he could have easily had an 90 knot ground speed.. I know that airplane holds 40 gallons.. even if he had made it, that leaves NO reserves.. The math aint on his side.. Lips Sealed

(my 51 year-old bladder won't let me fly more than 2.5 hours Embarrassed

)

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Reply #11 - May 5^th, 2010 at 12:56am

U4EA Ex Member

Brett_Henderson wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 6:01pm:

I know him.. and I'm pretty sure I've flown that 172..

Can't make out the N-number, but the paint-job looks familiar.. If it's N581ES.. it has many lines in my logbook .. Shocked

Confirmed! Shocked

It is your ol' 'buddy'. N581ES!

Here's a link with video:

http://www.fox2now.com/news/ktvi-plane-lands-metrolink-bus-stop-050310,0,4829125...

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Reply #12 - May 5^th, 2010 at 8:20am

beaky Offline
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Uhhhh.... yup!
Newark, NJ USA

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Posts: 14187

olderndirt wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 9:22pm:

beaky wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 8:40pm:

Brett_Henderson wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 6:45pm:

beaky wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 6:34pm:

Brett_Henderson wrote on May 4^th, 2010 at 6:01pm:

I know him.. and I'm pretty sure I've flown that 172..

Can't make out the N-number, but the paint-job looks familiar.. If it's N581ES.. it has many lines in my logbook .. Shocked

So tell us- is it prone to "running out of gas"? Grin

You know ? If I remeber correctly, it was "thirsty".. I flew it a few years ago after an engine replacement.. I didn't get too far before oil-pressure problems.. it drank 2 quarts in 30 minutes.. I landed at KMRT.. OVER-filled it with oil and flew it back to KOSU... It soon after left my club, for the club it's in now .. Many reported it had an appetite for fuel, too..

Okay, but...
I am usually very reticent to bash any pilot, even when they screw up, but there's something about a 2500-hr pilot running out of fuel on a routine flight in a familiar airplane that is just laughable.

Obviously the "book" consumption figures can't always be trusted, which is why we're supposed to plan conservatively (if not pessimistically) and also plan on having a reserve. Assuming all this fuel-exhaustion business is true in this case, I'd love to know what planning, if any, he did concerning fuel.

I have done, and will probably do, many stupid things with aircraft, but I am almost 100% certain that running both tanks dry in flight will never be one of them. There's simply no acceptable excuse for it.

Is your soapbox simple pine or hand-carved oak?

Neither. I just stand on a copy of the FAR/AIM when I pontificate about fuel exhaustion. Grin

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