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Life is so unfair!
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alan(at)kestrel-insurance
Guest

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:29 pm Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Who says life is meant to be fair..! 

After four months of fighting bureaucracy I finally get my aircraft airborne

and manage exactly four days of fun flying here in Florida. This morning I

go out to the hanger to pre flight and find the floor is full of fuel. It's

leaking out of the bottom of the aircraft at a fairly fast rate. Having

removed all the inspection covers both inside and outside I cannot detect

the source of the leak. I can see fuel dripping out from somewhere towards

the back of the tank, but not the actual leak. I have checked all the places

where fuel is meant to leave i.e. all the fittings and all look good and

dry. I can therefore only assume that the tank has split somewhere.

My question is

1. Has anyone else experienced a split fuel tank

2. How feasible would it be to have a bladder made to fit inside the tank

rather than cut the old one out and replace it.

All help and advice welcome (other than take up sailing instead).

Many Thanks



Alan

N134AB tri-gear 914 airmaster prop.



-- 

15:34

scrimm

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 81
Location: Gilbert, SC SC99

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:12 pm Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Bad Luck...



Your aircraft isn't revolting to it's new registration is it and decided to

take a pee on the hangar floor to show you who was in charge did it?



Or did it "bust a gut" because it is so happy to be flying in warm sunny

weather.



Sounds like it is time to take it to Bob Berube who is just down the road a

bit and tell him to fix it.  Bob could probably have it up and flying in no

time.  



Makes for a much better piece of mind and besides it's only money and  well

worth the cost.



Steve 

--

_________________
Steve Crimm
N42AH

hurstkr(at)redzone.com.au
Guest

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:13 pm Post subject: Life is so unfair!

 	  Quote: 	
		   This morning I go out to the hanger to pre flight and find the floor

is full of fuel.
	




Alan,



Very sorry to hear of your misfortune.



Unfortunately, I can confirm that a friend of mine had a split in the

back of his tank.  He removed the tank and repaired it, the details of

which I cannot tell you at this moment but will find out if you are

interested.  I hope of course, this will not be your problem.



I'm having a problem reconciling how the tank is so tough it can be run

over by a truck yet it can split under normal ops ????



What happened to your trip to Oz last year ?



Cheers and good luck

Kingsley

grahamsingleton(at)btinte
Guest

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:55 pm Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Alan

look for evidence that something punctured the tank, rudder cables? lump 

off flox or whatever under the tank gradually working through.

Only one I've seen was a small piece of tobacco embedded in the moulding 

but that was apparent on examining the tank before installation.



Alan Burrows wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   1. Has anyone else experienced a split fuel tank

 2. How feasible would it be to have a bladder made to fit inside the tank

 rather than cut the old one out and replace it.

 All help and advice welcome (other than take up sailing instead).

 Many Thanks

 

 Alan

 N134AB tri-gear 914 airmaster prop.

 


	


-- 

Graham Singleton



Tel: +441629820187

Mob: +447739582005

alan(at)kestrel-insurance
Guest

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:20 pm Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Hi steve



Thanks for the touch of humour I needed a laugh right now. I have contacted

Bob and he is coming over tomorrow to take a look.

I'll let you know how we get on.

Cheers



Alan



--

brian(at)mycarpetsource.c
Guest

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 8:24 pm Post subject: Life is so unfair!

My first full fuel attempt resulted in a similar experience.  I found the filler neck attach point to be so thin where it exited the tank that it split when the hose clamp was tightened.  Bob Berube was there to witness.  Luckily I had built an inspection plate into the top of the tank between the headrests for internal access.  If this is where your problem is I'll describe in detail the fix.  Bob may remember how we did it but that was a few gray hairs ago.

Visit -  www.EuropaOwners.org

william(at)wrmills.plus.c
Guest

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 10:30 pm Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Alan,

I experienced something similar, but it was not the tank splitting.  Have 

you checked the short sleeves over the tank exit stubs?  Mine developed a 

significant leak owing to fuel degradation of the rubber and had to be 

replaced.  OK after that.  I hope yours is something similar.

Best wishes,

William



---

wdaniell(at)etb.net.co
Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:13 am Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Yes there was a chap here who did not cut the fuel filler inlet hole big

enough in the cockpit bulkhead and had to replace the tank.  Apparently the

factory told him to split the fuselage laterally.  Which he did. And the ac

is flying now.  Fairly major surgery which is obviously not what you want at

this stage...but it can be done.  I can find out more if you wish.



Also there is an Australian company which sells auxiliary bladders for

ferrying ac long distance I forget the name but you can google it.



--

alan(at)kestrel-insurance
Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:20 am Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Thanks William



That was the first thing I checked and they are fine. It all now points to

the tank itself leaking.



Alan



--

alan(at)kestrel-insurance
Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:32 am Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Brian



My tanks leaked right up until I drained the last drop of fuel. It was still

leaking when I thought the tank was empty, so I drained the reserve side and

then the dripping stopped. So I don’t think my problem is the same as yours,

but I will check it out. Bob is coming down today so I'll speak to him about

it.

Many Thanks



Alan



--

jeff(at)rmmm.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:39 am Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Hi Alan,

I had a similar thing happen but it was coming out the sender gasket 

under the head rest when I filled the tank. It looked like the dam 

broke and took about two hours and removing the wings to finally 

discover it. Some pro-seal fixed it right up. Don't worry too much, Bob 

will find the problem.

Jeff

A258/ Gold Rush

On Mar 19, 2007, at 5:29 PM, Alan Burrows wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <alan(at)kestrel-insurance.com>



 Who says life is meant to be fair..!

 After four months of fighting bureaucracy I finally get my aircraft 

 airborne

 and manage exactly four days of fun flying here in Florida. This 

 morning I

 go out to the hanger to pre flight and find the floor is full of fuel. 

 It's

 leaking out of the bottom of the aircraft at a fairly fast rate. Having

 removed all the inspection covers both inside and outside I cannot 

 detect

 the source of the leak. I can see fuel dripping out from somewhere 

 towards

 the back of the tank, but not the actual leak. I have checked all the 

 places

 where fuel is meant to leave i.e. all the fittings and all look good 

 and

 dry. I can therefore only assume that the tank has split somewhere.

 My question is

 1. Has anyone else experienced a split fuel tank

 2. How feasible would it be to have a bladder made to fit inside the 

 tank

 rather than cut the old one out and replace it.

 All help and advice welcome (other than take up sailing instead).

 Many Thanks



 Alan

 N134AB tri-gear 914 airmaster prop.



 -- 

 15:34



Jeff Roberts
	




RMMM

Roberts Marketing & Media Management

615-355-7575 Office

615-406-8651 Cell

jeff(at)rmmm.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:17 am Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Hi Alan,

I had a similar thing happen but it was coming out the sender gasket 

under the head rest when I filled the tank. It looked like the dam 

broke and took about two hours and removing the wings to finally 

discover it. Some pro-seal fixed it right up. Don't worry too much, Bob 

will find the problem.

Jeff

A258/ Gold Rush

On Mar 19, 2007, at 5:29 PM, Alan Burrows wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <alan(at)kestrel-insurance.com>



 Who says life is meant to be fair..!

 After four months of fighting bureaucracy I finally get my aircraft 

 airborne

 and manage exactly four days of fun flying here in Florida. This 

 morning I

 go out to the hanger to pre flight and find the floor is full of fuel. 

 It's

 leaking out of the bottom of the aircraft at a fairly fast rate. Having

 removed all the inspection covers both inside and outside I cannot 

 detect

 the source of the leak. I can see fuel dripping out from somewhere 

 towards

 the back of the tank, but not the actual leak. I have checked all the 

 places

 where fuel is meant to leave i.e. all the fittings and all look good 

 and

 dry. I can therefore only assume that the tank has split somewhere.

 My question is

 1. Has anyone else experienced a split fuel tank

 2. How feasible would it be to have a bladder made to fit inside the 

 tank

 rather than cut the old one out and replace it.

 All help and advice welcome (other than take up sailing instead).

 Many Thanks



 Alan

 N134AB tri-gear 914 airmaster prop.



 -- 

 15:34



Jeff Roberts
	




RMMM

Roberts Marketing & Media Management

615-355-7575 Office

615-406-8651 Cell

Ivor Phillips

Joined: 16 Jan 2006
Posts: 253
Location: London UK

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:17 am Post subject: Life is so unfair!

They are 

http://www.turtlepac.com/collapsibleair.htm



Also there is an Australian company which sells auxiliary bladders for

ferrying ac long distance I forget the name but you can google it.

wdaniell(at)etb.net.co
Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:45 am Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Crickey what a bugger.



--

s.vestuti(at)virgin.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:07 am Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Hi Alan, 

What a bummer, mine also leaked about 4 weeks B4 the flight test, it turned out to be where the two FPA903B screw into the two F09C at the tank outlets (i originally fitted them "clean"), i'd be interested to know your source of the leak and the fix,



steve G-CEBV #573

Visit -  www.EuropaOwners.org

jimlawnn(at)hotmail.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:46 am Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Hi Allen



Check your filler connection where the rubber hose is clamped onto the tank 

boss - mine collapsed inward  - of course it only leaks when you are filling 

or when the tank is filled above this level . It is most unlikely for the 

tank to split or develope some other leak



regards Jim Lawn 364

 	  Quote: 	
		  From: "Alan Burrows" <alan(at)kestrel-insurance.com>

Reply-To: europa-list(at)matronics.com

To: <europa-list(at)matronics.com>

Subject: RE: Life is so unfair!

Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2007 23:29:01 -0000




<alan(at)kestrel-insurance.com>



Who says life is meant to be fair..!

After four months of fighting bureaucracy I finally get my aircraft 

airborne

and manage exactly four days of fun flying here in Florida. This morning I

go out to the hanger to pre flight and find the floor is full of fuel. It's

leaking out of the bottom of the aircraft at a fairly fast rate. Having

removed all the inspection covers both inside and outside I cannot detect

the source of the leak. I can see fuel dripping out from somewhere towards

the back of the tank, but not the actual leak. I have checked all the 

places

where fuel is meant to leave i.e. all the fittings and all look good and

dry. I can therefore only assume that the tank has split somewhere.

My question is

1. Has anyone else experienced a split fuel tank

2. How feasible would it be to have a bladder made to fit inside the tank

rather than cut the old one out and replace it.

All help and advice welcome (other than take up sailing instead).

Many Thanks



Alan

N134AB tri-gear 914 airmaster prop.



--

15:34


	


_________________________________________________________________

Solve the Conspiracy and win fantastic prizes.  

http://www.theconspiracygame.co.uk/

alan(at)kestrel-insurance
Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 12:13 pm Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Thanks Jim



The tank leaked right until the last drop of fuel was drained out, so I know

the hole is low. All the connections are good so it's not a fault with any

of them.

Bob has taken the aircraft away to his shop for further investigation and

hopefully a fix, so we will know in due course. (Fingers crossed).

Cheers



Alan



--

ami(at)mcfadyean.freeserv
Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:44 pm Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Probably the aux tank shown at 

http://www.turtlepac.com/sportair.htm



Duncan McF.

 	  Quote: 	
		   

 Also there is an Australian company which sells auxiliary bladders for

 ferrying ac long distance I forget the name but you can google it.

grahamsingleton(at)btinte
Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:44 pm Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Alan

reminds me, I have seen the screws on the inspection panels rubbing on 

the tank, take a while to wear thu but could be a cause.

Graham



steve v wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   

 

 Hi Alan, 

 What a bummer, mine also leaked about 4 weeks B4 the flight test, it turned out to be where the two FPA903B screw into the two F09C at the tank outlets (i originally fitted them "clean"), i'd be interested to know your source of the leak and the fix,

 

 steve G-CEBV #573

scrimm

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 81
Location: Gilbert, SC SC99

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:51 pm Post subject: Life is so unfair!

Now how good is that, pick up and delivery service.



Wish I was closer to Bob, a lot closer.  



Would make Europa life a lot easier.



Steve

--

_________________
Steve Crimm
N42AH

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