Fergus Kyle wrote:
>
> Cheers,
> I have both mod 33 water drains under the expanded baggage bay
> and below the tank, and gascolator just after the pump enroute the engine
> (Mark 1 foam wings, XS cockpit).
> I have always considered the drains as detecting/ridding the
> hangared tank of stagnant water or waterborne FOD, and the gascolator of
> catching the rest of the system before engine entry and enroute. It's a way
> of catching a bad fuelstop - we have some longterm stored fuel stops here.
You have also detected what appears to be the philosophy behind
current rules for U.S. production aircraft, requiring tank drains,
drainable sump(s), and gascolator - last line of defense. Many planes
"grandfathered" before the rules as they read now -- no gascolator if
adequate sump(s) -- are trouble-free. Some Cessna tank designs --
gascolator but no separate sumps, have been trouble. The new Skylane
is supposed to have something like 16 drain points!
Best,
Fred F.
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