Fuel Management questions

[TJTAS]

Hi,

 

The manual is a little vague on the whole fuel management system. Unless there is another section that i simply haven't found yet. I have a few questions for those who know this aircraft.

 

1. If i start a mission with the aircraft on the runway already started up and i have external fuel tanks how is the fuel system configured?. That is is it automatically using the external tanks first or is it using all tanks and I have to configure it to only use external tanks?.

 

2. If I have to manually set up the flow from external tanks first how and where is this done?.

 

3. If I have to engage enemy (and drop tanks ) before the external tanks are empty do I have to manually adjust the remaining fuel on the fuel dial?. If this is the case and it is using all tanks how do I know what the remaining fuel level is?.

 

TIA

Edited February 3, 2015 by TJTAS
clarity

[TurboHog]

1 - External fuel tanks will be used first automatically

 

2 - You don't and you can't

 

3 - As the fuel gauge only uses actual fuel flow as input data, it will not adjust if a non-empty external tank is jettisoned

[TJTAS]

Thank you!

[Art-J]

Don't forget about a couple of warning lights in the cockpit, indicating when different external and internal tanks get empty. They're quite useful in monitoring the fuel status, since the fuel quantity gauge is not always reliable and precise enough.

[xxJohnxx]

3. There are a couple of methods you can use to figure out the remaining fuel and reset the gauge accordingly.

Let's assume we have 3 tanks loaded. The 900L central and one 450L wing tank on each side.

 

When you drop your wing tanks when your fuel level is 4100L, your new fuel level will be 3900L, as only the internal (3000L) and the central 900L tank remains.

When you drop your wing tanks and your central tank with 4100L remaining, your new fuel level will be 3000L (only internal).

 

If you have less then 3000Lremaining when dropping tanks you will have to use the indicator lights. Have a look at the manual, there the diffrent levels are described.

[TJTAS]

Thank you for the additional info.

[gezahu]

1.The fuel system is a chain of tanks and pumps. There are 7 tanks in the fuselage and 4 in the wings and some pumps grouped in like pump group I or III. To put it short only the dispense pump feeds the engine from the dispenser tank the dispenser tank is fed by the 3th fuel tank group (and it pumps) the 3th fuel tank group is fed by 1st which sucks out fuel first from wing tanks and ventral tank. So when any of the tank groups are empty you better switch off the appropriate pumps to avoid their empty cranking.

2.you dont have to it is done by the pumps of the 1 st tank group(there is no pump in the pods the fuel is "sucked in".

3. If you drop all tanks it is 2700l remaining, and you can adjust the fuel meter accordingly, I cannot imagine a situation when you have ventral and wing tank and you drop jut one of them. Anyway the next event when you will be able to check your fuel level is when the "1st fuel tank group empty" indicator starts blinking it means you have about a 1000l remaining regardless of what your fuel gauge shows.

[Hadwell]

in a sane world, the outer tanks would dry up first, cause the combined weight and drag of them is more than the center tank, then the center tank and its drag, and only then it start working on the internal tanks.

 

as for fuel pumps... in DCS fortunately planes are one time use... so if the pumps want to die, let them, it will be awesome the day they allow re-use of old airframes, rather than respawning in a brand new never flown before plane.

Edited February 17, 2015 by Hadwell

[gezahu]

Yes. Well we cry for realism don't we? :) In a real plane you schould switch off the pumps (the SAARP records it) otherwise you find the commanding officers boot in your lower parts :)