The nose up attitude is likely to fill the breather outlet if tank full
on T/O although a balanced turn shouldn't fill one side or the other.
Regards, David Joyce, GXSDJ
On 2015-05-15 21:25, Justin Kennedy wrote:
> HI Guys,
>
> I am a bit reluctant to stick my neck out but I have a possible reason and
> solution
for your smelly climbs.
>
> When my Europa was about 2 years old, 9 years now, We had the same problem
> with
fuel smell after take-off and came to a conclusion which has not been mentioned
in the discussions on this subject. So here goes.
>
> We think it depends on which side you fuel tank vent is on. In this example
> the
vent is in the usual place on the Starboard side top front corner of the tank.
So as you climb out into a right hand circuit the right wing is going to be
lower than the left for long periods. The fuel in the tank slurps to the right.
The result is a pocket of air trapped on the upper left side of the tank.
The size of the pocket of air is dependent on how full the tank is at the time.
As the plane climbs the pressure drops and the pocket of air expands. Assuming
the fuel is covering the actual fuel vent on the right then there is nowhere
for the fuel to go other than up the vent and pour over the back of the
fuselage.
I think that it is this that creates the smell of fuel that only lasts a
short time. We experienced this phenomenon with ours and noticed there was no
smell if the tanks were less than about 1/2 full.
>
> Also trying to reproduce the problem was easy. After take-off with nearly full
tanks I flew a long gently curved climb to the right which promptly obliged
with a strong fuel smell. As a result we put in an additional vent on the other
side of the tank.
>
> There have been no fuel smells in the climb since.
>
> Those with this smell could try this and then do it again with 1/2 tanks.
>
> Also level up in the climb out every now and then to release the air to the
> vent
on the right and see if it stops it.
>
> Obviously your vents may be different but you can apply the theory.
>
> There are numerous potential sites for a fuel leak but when it is only in the
climb it has got to be climb related. I notice everyone is most specific about
it happening in the climb.
>
> I may be talking bunk but it is surely worth discussion J.
>
> Fly safe
>
> Justin Kennedy
>
> G-ZTED Europa Mono 912S Airmaster Prop
>
> East of Scotland Strut
>
Links:
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[3] http://www.matronics.com/contribution
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