Option to self refuel

[Migparts]

This is just an idea, but could a Chinook carrying Jet A1 or a suitable jet fuel as cargo, could it land somewhere in the mountains and refuel its own tanks from the carried cargo in case of an emergency? I imagine this may have happened IRL.

Edited August 25, 2024 by Migparts
Clarity

[flmike911]

47's generally don't carry fuel internally as cargo.  We normally carried blivits as sling loads.  The internal ERFS are plumbed into the L&R mains and are run till empty. Once empty the AUX tanks are turned on and its business as usual.   

[cw4ogden]

@Migparts  As previous poster pointed out, the Extended range fuel tanks that are carried internally are piped into the fuel system so there would be no need to refuel yourself.  

As for hauling fuel as a slingload, as a hack to extend your range?  In theory it is certainly technically possible.   The reality is you'd lose range from the added weight and added drag.  Meaning you could do it, but you'd likely have more range simply not hauling the added fuel.  

Adding fuel is a diminishing returns thing.  One internal tank is the most range for least amount of lost payload etc.  Two internal tanks gets you a smaller increase in range for the same amount of added weight, etc.  IIRC you can't even fill the third tank all the way for weight or C.G. reasons.  So you can imagine the same phenomenon with slung fuel, but with the added penalties of massive parasite drag from the load.  

 

So possible, sure.  But without running any numbers, at best you might get a very slight increase in range.   But more likely, the result of hauling the fuel itself would be less total range.