Extra fuel in the wing tips 🛫

romanov · #1 10-09-2018, 09:37 AM

Hello, I am looking for some professional
advise about extra fuel in the wings.
The guys from WhiskeyHotel are not answering
so maybe there are more guys who can help?

F1R · #2 10-09-2018, 09:47 AM

It has been done many times over the years by various builders. You might have do some forum searches to find what you are looking for.

Several Harmon Rockets have been made with wing tip fuel tanks.(Before the F1's came along with larger main tanks as standard) Those tips are the same air foil /wing tip profile as the 4, 6 ,7 and 8 wing. You might check with John Harmon in Bakersfield CA for photos and contacts that have done it. Most often personally designed and fabricated. Some have a recessed fuel filler cap inside a hinge door similar to the oil inspection door on the engine cowl. There are lots of different solutions.

Carl Froehlich · #3 10-09-2018, 10:47 AM

For an RV-14 a ferry tank in the baggage compartment should be a lot easier, carry more fuel and you can take it out when not needed.

Various molded race car tanks work, or make your own to be a glove fit. Carbon fiber honeycomb boards work well for this. My neighbor that flew his Lancair 4 non-stop from Guam to Jacksonville Florida made 5 ferry tanks using this material. They are a work of art.

Carl

raabs · #4 10-09-2018, 10:50 AM

Hotel has a setupu for the -14 now. A friend just installed it. They are nice. They are slow to respond but the product seems very good. I'd keep trying or leave a voice message the owner or his daughter usually get in touch.

mjanduda · #5 10-09-2018, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raabs

Hotel has a setupu for the -14 now. A friend just installed it. They are nice. They are slow to respond but the product seems very good. I'd keep trying or leave a voice message the owner or his daughter usually get in touch.

Can you post more info on this? Do you have a link? Googling "Hotel" brings up quite a lot of results...

rocketman1988 · #6 10-09-2018, 12:31 PM

http://hotelwhiskeyaviation.com/home/

I have the RV-10 ER tanks. Quality of craftsmanship is great, install not bad.

Not flying so can't say how they will work yet...

raabs · #7 10-09-2018, 12:44 PM

Hotel Whiskey Aviation http://hotelwhiskeyaviation.com/home/

RWoodard · #8 10-09-2018, 12:59 PM

I have been thinking about different ways to get an extra hour?s worth of fuel in my new RV-3. I checked with the folks at whiskey hotel and they report that none of their kits will work in a 3.

I?m back to thinking about converting the wingtips to fuel tanks. Of course you wouldn?t want to do any aerobatics with fuel in the tanks, but I?m looking at it as a pretty efficient (I.e. minimal additional weight) way to add a few gallons.

I?m thinking they could gravity feed to the main tanks. Fuel management would consist of burning the mains down enough to accept the extra tip fuel. Open electrically-operated valve and let the fuel flow to the mains. Of course a person would want some way to make sure the fuel actually transferred and you?d want to have alternate landing plans if you couldn?t positively verify the transfer.

They?d probably go unused 95% of the time, but an extra hour worth of gas would be pretty handy for certain of my 550nm-ish trips.

My hangar is already a disaster of fiberglass dust from installing wheelpants on the Midget Mustang. Maybe now?s the time?!?

Mel · #9 10-09-2018, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by romanov

Hello, I am looking for some professional
advise about extra fuel in the wings.
The guys from WhiskeyHotel are not answering
so maybe there are more guys who can help?

Both Chuck and Jeff fly for American Airlines, so they may be on a trip. They will respond when they get your message.

Brent · #10 10-09-2018, 09:30 PM

I saw a magazine photograph of an RV.... 8 perhaps, with a large external belly tank which gave a CLAIMED 3,000 mile range. Does anyone have further knowledge of this. It would certainly be an interesting thought.

Brent Owen