Pops,
Richard is my partner in the Europa; it was my mod he was writing about but
he no longer monitors this site; so I'll tell you about it:
The inspection hatch is an oval hole cut into the top of the tank and
accessed through a similar hole between the headrests. The hole is
elliptical so that an aluminium sealing plate can be fitted inside the
tank. Its dimensions are an ellipse with major axis about 9", minor axis
5" - this allows the arm of all but the biggest musclebound pilots access
to all parts of the inside of the tank to remove dead rabbits, supermarket
trolleys and buckets of swarf from the hole cutting work.
The modification includes reinforcement around the perimeter of the hole in
the glass of the cockpit module to reinstate its strength. I also took the
liberty of fitting into the cover plate an electric (capacitative) Avelec
fuel gauge and a second mechanical one. The Avelec has the advantage that
its readings can be linearised by use of an internal electronic look up
table; there is already a version calibrated for the Europa's tank.
I was initially attracted to the Microlflight capacitative gauge which I
thought I would be able to bend along its length to perform the
linearisation (volume/level) necessary because of the tank's unusual shape.
However, having tried one, I found the bend can only be made within about
1 1/2" of the top, rendering it unsuitable for the Europa application
(unless you don't care about the linearisation).
If you contact Avelec, they will provide all my detailed drawings, as
submitted to the PFA, with the gauge. It has been pressure tested. The
drawings include templates to cut the holes. The mod has been cleared but
needs to be recorded and inspected (in the UK) by your inspector.
Avelec's details are:
Unit 6,
Manor Farm Courtyard
Rowsham
Bucks
HP22 4QP
England
tel/fax (0)1296 748 846
Good Luck
Dave Simpson
----------
> From: ChuckPops@aol.com
> Subject: Re: Fuel Tank Inspections and Gages
> Date: 22 September 1998 19:51
>
> Especially to Richard Meredith-Hardy--
>
> Hi Richard-
> Some months ago you slipped rumors of a PFA-approved fuel tank inspection
mod,
> and said that it would be posted on the FTP site. I have looked for it
and
> can't identify it. Did it get there, or is it in one of the Europa
flyers?
>
> On that note, can someone tell me if there exists an avnet index to the
FTP's
> available with brief abstract of what they are supposed to do?
>
> Secondly, I am about to order a Microflight capacitance fuel gage from AS
with
> the 24" bendable probe for about $110, and a "SmartTool" digital
inclinometer
> at about $108. Do any builders have experience with either of these?
>
> Thanks!!
>
> Pops
> A-036
|