Dangerously low fuel levels

[TurnandBurn55]

I've heard of USAF guys occassionally taking off without a full bag occassionally purely due to takeoff performance... they promptly top off airborne.

Never heard of anyone not topping off to save money. Given how much we f'ing dump to make max trap, I don't think the Navy has given it a second thought.

 

[squeeze]

The only time you have "too much fuel" is when you're on fire.

Fuel vapor is more explosive than liquid fuel.

 

[HooverPilot]

There are times in the COD Community that we do plan for missions with less than full tanks. But it's not about fuel conservation, its about single engine performance in a hot environment with a lot of cargo.

 

[cisforsmasher]

Has anyone else who has flown commercially lately noticed that it seems they are doing min fuel approaches? As in not throwing the gear and flaps down till on glidepath?

 

[FLYTPAY]

Has anyone else who has flown commercially lately noticed that it seems they are doing min fuel approaches? As in not throwing the gear and flaps down till on glidepath?

That's good.....maybe it will become SOP.

 

[NavAir42]

In the VP world it's strange to take off with a full bag of gas when you're not on deployment. Even then it really depends on how long you're planning on staying out....a long time, or a really long time.

I can think of a few other times than being on fire that I'd like to have less fuel. Most of them involve hot days and flying with less than your issued number of engines.

 

[jorgelito]

Apparently ... it's "let the good times roll" ....

Yesterday, witness a common occurrence overhead Smith Island:

At that altitude does the fuel just evaporate?

 

[HooverPilot]

At that altitude does the fuel just evaporate?

Yeah, it dissapates (sic (CJ major)) but it still costs the same & cost is the issue today.

 

[A4sForever]

Has anyone else who has flown commercially lately noticed that it seems they are ..... throwing the gear and flaps down ... on glidepath?

Airlines have been doing that for decades .... sometimes fuel related, sometimes SOP, sometimes airport/runway related, sometimes it's due to following/leading traffic and/or requested by ATC to comply w/ approach traffic flow(s) and separation .... it's for a myriad of reasons. Probably not got a thing to do w/ "minimum fuel" .... if you're talkin' being "low' on fuel.

Sometimes it's just plain "cowboy-ism" .... airline-style.

 

[a_m]

At that altitude does the fuel just evaporate?

> 6000' (ideally) and you are good.

 

[jorgelito]

Yeah, it dissapates (sic (CJ major)) but it still costs the same & cost is the issue today.

Cool, good to know. Just curious really.

 

[kmac]

There are times in the COD Community that we do plan for missions with less than full tanks. But it's not about fuel conservation, its about single engine performance in a hot environment with a lot of cargo.

On the West Coast we wouldn't always take a full bag out to the boat because we didn't want to dump too much fuel ($$$). Hoover(COD)Pilot already knows this, but it wasn't a matter of safety since we normally dump down to max trap anyway. What he is saying about single engine performance still holds true.

 

[trogdor]

Never heard of anyone not topping off to save money. Given how much we f'ing dump to make max trap, I don't think the Navy has given it a second thought.

I once heard the charge that the Tailhook navy, in a given year, dumps more fuel than the entire rotary navy uses. Anyone got figures on this?

 

[MasterBates]

I would not be surprised.

The Mighty ClownJet, can barely keep in the air at 1000pph, and often burns more, whereas I'd be hard pressed to burn MORE than 1200pph in a 60B that weighs close to twice as much.

Of course, the ClownJet doesn't dump, but jet engines are relative fuel pigs per flight hour. I do remember on cruise, that the Tomcats would dump more to get to max trap than I woudl burn in a flight. And that was just ONE Tomcat.

 

[FrankTheTank]

As in not throwing the gear and flaps down till on glidepath?

On Glidepath? Pussies!!! Never touch the gear handle before the marker unless CAT III and then maybe 3-5 miles prior to.. If visual than 5 miles prior which usually coincides with the marker...