buying help

On 12-Aug-2005, Darrel Toepfer wrote:

Plane & Pilot just did a review on the Saratoga. Full fuel gave +500
pounds useful. If I remember right that included the deicing system.
What a waste of money on a 6 seat, 180 knot plane...


I agree that the Saratoga useful load is disappointing to say the least, but
full fuel "payload" has to be about the most USELESS parameter ever quoted
for an airplane . In fact, I would argue that any airplane that has
significant payload with full fuel has a serious design flaw -- fuel tanks
that are too small. Case in point: My Arrow IV has 72 gal (usable) fuel.
If I want to fill the four seats with "standard" FAA adults, however, I have
to restrict fuel to a still respectable 50 gallons. Older Arrow models only
had 50 gallon tanks, and most could carry four adults and full fuel. Does
that mean that Piper made a mistake when they increased the fuel capacity?
I don't think so, particularly when I can benefit from exceptional range
when the passenger load is light.

What you really want to know about an airplane's carrying capability is
payload available when fueled for a specific mission, say a 500 nm flight
into a 15 kt headwind with 1 hr reserve.

Virtually every jet from a Citation to a B-747 cannot fly with both tanks
and seats full. Does that mean they are somehow deficient?

--
-Elliott Drucker

I agree that the Saratoga useful load is disappointing to say the least,
but
full fuel "payload" has to be about the most USELESS parameter ever quoted
for an airplane . In fact, I would argue that any airplane that has
significant payload with full fuel has a serious design flaw -- fuel tanks
that are too small.

Well, unless you have a Pathfinder.

With four tanks, holding 84 gallons, I'm not sure where they could squeeze
in any more fuel!

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

: With four tanks, holding 84 gallons, I'm not sure where they could squeeze
: in any more fuel!

Simple. Seal up the *WHOLE* wing and just start filling from the end! I'd
bet you could fly for half an oil change loaded with just fuel...

-Cory

--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

He can fly for half an oil change now. I have 84 gallons in my soon to
be departed 182 and at the max range setting that is 11.5 hours of gas.



wrote:
: With four tanks, holding 84 gallons, I'm not sure where they could squeeze
: in any more fuel!

Simple. Seal up the *WHOLE* wing and just start filling from the end! I'd
bet you could fly for half an oil change loaded with just fuel...

-Cory

Newps wrote:
: He can fly for half an oil change now. I have 84 gallons in my soon to
: be departed 182 and at the max range setting that is 11.5 hours of gas.

I was assuming a 50-hour oil change.

--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************