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  #1  
Old 08-04-2014, 12:04 PM
jfrank71 jfrank71 is offline
 
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Default Useable Fuel Capacity in -10

What is everyone seeing for useable fuel capacity in the -10? I thought I read somewhere it was around 53 gallons but that sounds low.
Thanks
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  #2  
Old 08-04-2014, 12:26 PM
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Mike S Mike S is offline
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When I did the original tank flush out with a 5 gallon can, I got back over 4 gallons from each side.

Being conservative with the figures, I set my full fuel usable at 57.

Obviously YMMV applies here.
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  #3  
Old 08-04-2014, 12:53 PM
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Default 59 1/2

Not sure about in all flight conditions, but I needed to empty a tank to re-do my fuel gauge calibration.

Flew on the left tank until the engine started coughing in cruise flight (over an airport).

Then landed and took the fuel drain out. I got less than 1 cup of fuel out of the tank.

I was not trying to get every last bit out by slipping or holding that wing high. I was very impressed with how little fuel was left.
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  #4  
Old 08-04-2014, 01:11 PM
rdoerr01 rdoerr01 is offline
 
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I put 2 gallons in each tank and then pumped out what I could with the airplane in it's flight attitude. Once this was completed, I then calibrated my tanks is 1 gallons increments to 10 gallons and then every 2 gallons after that. I am able to have a full 30 gallons usable on each side with the level being 1/2" below the inside of the fuel filler lip.

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Ray
40250 (N519RV, 1127 hrs on the Hobbs)
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  #5  
Old 08-04-2014, 01:14 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rdoerr01 View Post
I put 2 gallons in each tank and then pumped out what I could with the airplane in it's flight attitude. Once this was completed, I then calibrated my tanks is 1 gallons increments to 10 gallons and then every 2 gallons after that.
This is a great time to make up a fuel dip stick while you are calibrating the fuel gauge senders.

And, after you make the fuel stick, make a back up to keep around in case the first one goes missing.
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Flying as of 12/4/2010

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"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
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  #6  
Old 08-04-2014, 01:23 PM
jfrank71 jfrank71 is offline
 
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This sounds more like it. Thanks for the input.
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  #7  
Old 08-04-2014, 03:27 PM
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blahphish blahphish is offline
 
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My findings are like Bill's in that the unusable fuel was probably about a cup in each wing. I pumped all of the fuel in each wing through the electric boost pump into a gas can. After that I drained the rest of the fuel out of the sump plugs and it was very little.
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  #8  
Old 08-04-2014, 09:27 PM
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RV10inOz RV10inOz is offline
 
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114.5 Litres

You SHOULD run a tank dry at least once a year, before the annual. Failure to do so is slack in my opinion. If something changes, and they rarely do in an RV style tank, this is the time to find out.

Running tanks dry in the cries was SOP for the airlines back in the piston era so this notion only doing it over an airfield is just rubbish.

As noted
Quote:
Flew on the left tank until the engine started coughing in cruise flight (over an airport).

Then landed and took the fuel drain out. I got less than 1 cup of fuel out of the tank.

I was not trying to get every last bit out by slipping or holding that wing high. I was very impressed with how little fuel was left.
The Vans tank is virally all usable, but YOU need to KNOW for SURE.
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