Fuel tank balance

"Steve Foley" wrote in message
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"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
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That's what puzzles me: If you're not supposed to have a significant
difference between the two, why aren't the two tanks just connected so
that they always drain at the same rate on both sides?

On a low wing airplane, you need a fuel pump to get the fuel to the engine.
If you have one fuel pump connected to both tanks, and one tank runs dry,
the fuel pump will be sucking only air, and no fuel from the other tank.

If you put in two fuel pumps, and one tank runs dry, you will probably burn
out the fuel pump running it dry.

If you put in a way for the pump to shut down when it's dry, you run the
risk of a faulire that shuts down the pump when there is still fuel in the
tank.

The goal is relable and simple. One fuel pump (actually, mine has an engine
driven pump and an electric backup pump), and a valve to select tanks.


Why would you
_want_ one wing substantially heavier than the other?

When I fly alone, the left side of the plane is heavier. If I burn fuel
from
the left tank, after about an hour the plane is more balanced.