Fred,
I agree, and the installation of almost any auxiliary tank is a dodgy acces
sory. Also the main tank is not exactly great, is it ? Some of them have de
veloped cracks for no apparent reason, and if I recall, it is made of two s
ections which are welded together. They also tend to change shape. When I i
nspected mine a couple of years ago, I noticed that the back wall had buckl
ed inwards, in spite of the enforcement ridges. Andy told me not to worry a
bout it.
To use the Livermore crash as an example of failing marine tanks is really
pure speculation. In such a high impact crash I imagine that any FULL tank
would fail, and that the resulting fire was merely incidental in the two fa
talities.
I considered the Europa longrange tank, but it has such an awkward shape fo
r a trigear, making it difficult to secure, and it doesn't look any stronge
r than what I am using. Again, guesswork, only a real test with tanks full
of water and dropped from a certain height would constitute a valid compari
son.
Some builders tell us about their solutions with aluminum tanks, but they d
on't tell us how the rest of us might acquire one and with the connection
accessories.
Maybe someone in the business, like Bud Yerly, can manufacture a carbon fib
re solution, that is portable, and fits on the seat and the baggage compart
ment of any Europa. If it also fits other homebuilts, he could generate a n
ice extra income. It should not hold more than 30 liters, otherwise it is j
ust too heavy to carry.
The way tanks are secured is just as important as the tank itself. Also, wh
en I use mine, I empty it as soon as there is enough room in the main tank,
reducing the fire risk considerably on a (crash)landing.
Trans-ocean pilots are in a totally different environment, and have to take
a calculated risk. Remember Lindbergh ? He practically sat in the middle o
f a giant fuel tank, with zero forward visibility.
Karl
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