Baggage compartment fuel tanks

[captainron]

I saw one RV at LOE that had one but didn't get much information about it. Does anyone have any experience doing this? The baggage area in the -7 measures 36" by 21", and a tank of that dimension and 4" high would hold 13 gallons, or about 3.2 gal. for every inch of height. Seems that even a 3" tall tank wouldn't take up that much room, and would provide an extra hour of fuel.

[mdredmond]

Prolly work just fine except I wouldn't want 13 gallons of fuel in the cockpit with me. Wingtip tanks mo' better.

[TSwezey]

Grumpy,
Even without the extra tanks your 7 should able to fly further than the gas hog you fly now! Put the tip tanks in like Robby has. But I have to say have have thought about a cabin tank for a cross ocean trip.

[Bob Axsom]

I returned from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California to Drake Field, Fayetteville, Arkansas today. One stop in Albuquerque, New Mexico for fuel and total flight of time 7 hours 47 minutes. I have two tip tanks totaling 17 extra gallons of fuel. The other concern about the baggage compartment tank is the aft CG location.

Bob Axsom

[w1curtis]

Originally Posted by mdredmond

Prolly work just fine except I wouldn't want 13 gallons of fuel in the cockpit with me. Wingtip tanks mo' better.

Actually if you talk to the folks at Van's, if you have to do extra tanks, they prefer you do fuselage tanks rather that tip tanks. That extra weight slung out on the wing tips does unpredictable things to spin characteristics. So while making yourself feel better about not having fuel in the passenger compartment, you could spin the plane into the ground. This was in an issue of RVAtor.

[Bob Axsom]

If you go by what Van's Aircraft says you are going to have an airplane that Van's Aircraft wants you to have. If you know what you want you have the option of slanting the compromises to suit your preferences.

If you go with the fuselage configuration, Van told me in 1996 he would prefer that you put in a header tank behind the instrument panel. Whatever you do, think out everything, plan it well considering fueling operations, flight operations, maintenance, etc. then if it is still what you want to do, do it. It's your airplane.

Bob Axsom

[captainron]

Originally Posted by TSwezey

Grumpy,
Even without the extra tanks your 7 should able to fly further than the gas hog you fly now!

GAS HOG!??? Hey, 13 gallons will get me around the pattern once, plus a little bit left over!

[pierre smith]

Hi Ron,
Make it narrow but as wide as the baggage area and go vertical to the top of the crossbar. If you build it 6" X 36 X 20 it will yield 2.5 cu ft. Since 1 cu. ft. = 7.48 gals, you have the capacity for over 18 gallons or 108 lbs. I know, I know only 70 lbs is what Van says. Jon Johannson packs 300 lbs of fuel in the back seat of his -4.

Ron, this still leaves room for a small suitcase. I'd fly the airplane with increasing weight back there and find the max you can live with.

Heck, I started my ag career in a factory backpack Super Cub that had a factory installed 80 gallon hopper in the back. I flew it with 60 gallons (500 lbs) back there many times, three full turns of down trim and landed it that way. It's "doable".
Regards,

[sjhurlbut]

I'm in the later planning stages of building my extra fuel tank for the baggage compartment. Mine transfer (2 tanks) into the left main fuel tank. What exactly is your question? CofG, safety, size, weight, securing, plumbing, venting?

Steve
RV7A
Flying

[BillyBob]

Originally Posted by sjhurlbut

I'm in the later planning stages of building my extra fuel tank for the baggage compartment. Mine transfer (2 tanks) into the left main fuel tank. What exactly is your question? CofG, safety, size, weight, securing, plumbing, venting?

How about sharing all of the above....