Has anyone considered the Australian Turtlepac option?
Will
From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Fred Klein
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 14:03
Subject: Re: Europa-List: auxillary fuel tank
Karl,
Thank you for your thoughtful post and the several suggestions included
therein...I couldn't agree with you more. Yes, my mention of Livermore is
speculation, with "the resulting fire (being) merely incidental in the two
fatalities", witness Cliff and Mary Shaw's accident (low speed stall/spin)
but no fire.
As I have a mono, I intend to fit the standard aux. tank.
Your comments re: the main tank are spot on, and as time goes by, hopefully
we'll all learn more about how to minimize the stress-cracking tendencies. I
regret not looking closely at the issue when I was installing my tank when
those little bells were ringing in my mind vis a vis the rigid bonding in of
a flexible, expandable component.
I'm curious as to whether those who have had to replace their main tanks
have replicated the original directions for tank installation or have made
adjustments which both provide a robust fit between the CM and the tank but
nonetheless allow for some tank expansion.
Fred
A194
On Thursday, Jan 3, 2008, at 08:03 US/Pacific, Karl Heindl wrote:
Fred,
I agree, and the installation of almost any auxiliary tank is a dodgy
accessory. Also the main tank is not exactly great, is it ? Some of them
have developed cracks for no apparent reason, and if I recall, it is made of
two sections which are welded together. They also tend to change shape. When
I inspected mine a couple of years ago, I noticed that the back wall had
buckled inwards, in spite of the enforcement ridges. Andy told me not to
worry about 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
fatalities.
I considered the Europa longrange tank, but it has such an awkward shape for
a trigear, making it difficult to secure, and it doesn't look any stronger
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 comparison.
Some builders tell us about their solutions with aluminum tanks, but they
don'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
fibre solution, that is portable, and fits on the seat and the baggage
compartment of any Europa. If it also fits other homebuilts, he could
generate a nice extra income. It should not hold more than 30 liters,
otherwise it is just too heavy to carry.
The way tanks are secured is just as important as the tank itself. Also,
when 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 of
a giant fuel tank, with zero forward visibility.
Karl
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