Flying w/faulty gas gauge

In article , Yossarian
wrote:

I understand that functional fuel gauges are required equipment for day VFR
flight. Yesterday during my preflight in a 172 I saw that the right gauge
was functioning intermittently--it would show full, flicker down to zero,
bounce around, etc. Tank was visually confirmed full. Mechanic messed
around with it for a while to no effect.

I believe certification only requires that the gauge show empty when
the tank is empty.

Would you fly this airplane?

If you have visually checked the fuel quantity and know approximately
what your fuel burn is, (you do fly by your watch don't you?) you
should be good to go.
I was going to say that my Champ doesn't have a gauge, but then I
remembered there is and I think it is off a Model A Ford. Of course, in
a Cub it is just a wire in a cork sticking up through the cap.

"EDR" wrote in message ...

I believe certification only requires that the gauge show empty when
the tank is empty.

You keep saying this, but it's not true.

Of course, in
a Cub it is just a wire in a cork sticking up through the cap.

Works better than a lot of gauges...

Ron Natalie wrote:
I believe certification only requires that the gauge show empty when
the tank is empty.

You keep saying this, but it's not true.

Empty... unusable... Not much difference in my book. If there is no fuel
flowing to the engine, it's empty!
Of course, if you know the Chinese fuel management technique, you can
extract some or all of the unusable fuel.

that isn't the part that isn't true

I didn't expect this thread to spark this much discussion!

"john smith" wrote in message
...
Ron Natalie wrote:
I believe certification only requires that the gauge show empty when
the tank is empty.

You keep saying this, but it's not true.

Empty... unusable... Not much difference in my book. If there is no fuel
flowing to the engine, it's empty!
Of course, if you know the Chinese fuel management technique, you can
extract some or all of the unusable fuel.

"john smith" wrote in message ...
Ron Natalie wrote:
I believe certification only requires that the gauge show empty when
the tank is empty.

You keep saying this, but it's not true.

Empty... unusable... Not much difference in my book. If there is no fuel
flowing to the engine, it's empty!

People pull one cluase out of the reg. I've posted it. If you read the full
sentence people keep pulling out of their asses, you'll find that the gauges
are not any more or less accurate at empty than anywhere else.

"john smith" wrote in message
...
Ron Natalie wrote:
I believe certification only requires that the gauge show empty when
the tank is empty.

You keep saying this, but it's not true.

Empty... unusable... Not much difference in my book. If there is no fuel
flowing to the engine, it's empty!
Of course, if you know the Chinese fuel management technique, you can
extract some or all of the unusable fuel.

The regulation reads

(9) Fuel gauge indicating the quantity of fuel in each tank.

"Gig Giacona" wrote in message ...
]
Empty... unusable... Not much difference in my book. If there is no fuel
flowing to the engine, it's empty!
Of course, if you know the Chinese fuel management technique, you can
extract some or all of the unusable fuel.

The regulation reads

(9) Fuel gauge indicating the quantity of fuel in each tank.

23.1337 says
Fuel quantity indication. There must be a means to indicate to the flightcrew members the quantity
of usable fuel in each tank during flight. An indicator calibrated in appropriate units and clearly marked
to indicate those units must be used. In addition:
(1) Each fuel quantity indicator must be calibrated to read "zero"
during level flight when the quantity of fuel remaining in the tank is equal to the unusable fuel supply determined under
§ 23.959(a)

Well .. if that's the standard .. I've never seen one meet it.


"Gig Giacona" wrote in message
...


The regulation reads

(9) Fuel gauge indicating the quantity of fuel in each tank.

Roger Tracy wrote:

Well .. if that's the standard .. I've never seen one meet it.

I have two in my Maule. The gauges in my old Cessna 150 were also pretty
accurate.

George Patterson
The actions taken by the New Hampshire Episcopalians (ie. inducting a gay
bishop) are an affront to Christians everywhere. I am just thankful that
the church's founder, Henry VIII, and his wife Catherine of Aragon, and his
wife Anne Boleyn, and his wife Jane Seymour, and his wife Anne of Cleves,
and his wife Katherine Howard, and his wife Catherine Parr are no longer
here to suffer through this assault on traditional Christian marriages.

EDR wrote:

I believe certification only requires that the gauge show empty when
the tank is empty.

Nope. The gauge must show the quantity of fuel in the tank. Furthermore, it
must read empty when there's no more useable fuel, not when the tank is empty.

George Patterson
They say nothing's certain except death and taxes. The thing is, death
doesn't get worse every time Congress goes into session.