What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Gascolator and CAR 549 - NOT the exemption

kearney

Well Known Member
Hi

I have just completed my inspection (RV-10) with MD-RA and am the first person to receive a Special Certificate of Airworthiness under CAR 549 issued by MD-RA in a great many years.

It was something of a struggle as MD-RA was determined that I meet the "intent" of CARS 523.997 by complying with it even though it does not apply to amateur built aircraft. Ultimately I had to appeal to Transport Canada for relief.

In the end I prevailed and I DID NOT install a gascolator. I have a query into MD-RA asking if this has cleared the path for others.

Cheers

Les

C-GCWZ RV10 Sold
C-GROK RV10 awaiting first flight
 
Well done! I wonder if this will cover the Exemption from 549 as well. Keep us posted.

Ironically, a gascolator is also a filter, so it is useful even for FI systems. I have the gascolator followed by the boost pump followed by a 40 micron filter. I
 
Zero issues with gascolaters. These new units from Vans and Andair are quality filters. 2500 hundred hours in various RVs and Rockets with absolutely no issues.
How did these units get a bad name? Many of the inline filters have no way to check for debris as is routine using gascolaters.
 
Zero issues with gascolaters. These new units from Vans and Andair are quality filters. 2500 hundred hours in various RVs and Rockets with absolutely no issues.
How did these units get a bad name? Many of the inline filters have no way to check for debris as is routine using gascolaters.

Many aircraft are fitted with EFI these days and gascolators serve no purpose on EFI with return fuel systems other than filtering. Filters do that job at less cost and weight.

With the finger screens in place at the tanks and annual filter inspection (I hope everyone is doing that) where would excessive debris come from which would clog not the finger screens (first step of filtering from the tanks)?
 
Gascolator debate..

With the finger screens in place at the tanks and annual filter inspection (I hope everyone is doing that) where would excessive debris come from which would clog not the finger screens (first step of filtering from the tanks)?

Ross, you talk about the "annual filter inspection" are you talking about an in-line fuel filter? If so, that would mean undoing two B-nuts on the flared 3/8 fuel line to remove this filter and then re-torque to re-install. This sounds like a very bad idea to me to repeat this process on an annual basis. If you are talking about the finger screes in fuel tanks then that too would mean undoing B-nuts and draining the fuel tanks on an annual basis. That sounds like an equally bad idea. What am I missing here??
 
Gascolator debate...

Zero issues with gascolaters. These new units from Vans and Andair are quality filters. 2500 hundred hours in various RVs and Rockets with absolutely no issues.
How did these units get a bad name? Many of the inline filters have no way to check for debris as is routine using gascolaters.

Agree 100%. I have Andair's gascolators in my wingroots for upstream protection of the high pressure FI pump and a Falls Filtration gascolator (used on all kinds of certified airplanes) on the firewall in the standard location for protection of the FI servo/spider. If you cross out the word gascolator and replace it with "fuel filter with sump drain for daily inspection and simple disassembly for annual inspection and cleaning" maybe it is more acceptable for a FI system. Don't know where the demonization of gascolators for FI systems came from.

Not flying yet, but I did enough research to be confident of a robust system.
 
Ross, you talk about the "annual filter inspection" are you talking about an in-line fuel filter? If so, that would mean undoing two B-nuts on the flared 3/8 fuel line to remove this filter and then re-torque to re-install. This sounds like a very bad idea to me to repeat this process on an annual basis. If you are talking about the finger screes in fuel tanks then that too would mean undoing B-nuts and draining the fuel tanks on an annual basis. That sounds like an equally bad idea. What am I missing here??

Fuel filter inspections at annual are pretty standard items. On the EFI systems, we are talking about the pre and post filters to the electric pumps.

You may also be able to verify that the filters are not partially clogged by performing a flow test instead by removing the discharge line at the pressure regulator and running the pumps. Run that line into a beaker for 30 seconds. This would be much easier and quicker and really what we are concerned with.
 
Back
Top