How much fuel do you typically keep in the tanks?

Any DA40 related topics

Moderators: Rick, Lance Murray

User avatar
Chris B
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 843
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:52 am
First Name: Chris
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N171CB
Airports: KRHV
Has thanked: 210 times
Been thanked: 215 times

How much fuel do you typically keep in the tanks?

Post by Chris B »

I'm planning to buy a used DA40 in the next few months, in part because of this great forum! This place is unbelievably flame-free, and filled with lots of useful info! :thumbsup:

One question that I have not been able to find (my apologies if I am just terrible at searching):
With the DA40's modest useful load, how much fuel do you typically leave in the tanks?

This presumably will affect the easiest way to handle co-ownership fuel expenses.

Chris
User avatar
BlackMammoth
4 Diamonds Member
4 Diamonds Member
Posts: 318
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:50 pm
First Name: Phil
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N29PG
Airports: KPSP
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 23 times

Re: How much fuel do you typically keep in the tanks?

Post by BlackMammoth »

We don't have a set fuel plan. When the tanks do not have enough fuel for the task at hand, we fill them up.
User avatar
Chris
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 935
Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2010 3:34 am
First Name: Chris
Aircraft Type: DA42NG
Aircraft Registration: N449TS
Airports: KHIO
Has thanked: 1050 times
Been thanked: 480 times

Re: How much fuel do you typically keep in the tanks?

Post by Chris »

We have three partners so the easist way to make sure everybody pays for their own fuel is to fill it up when you're done. On the very few occasions that somebody wants to use it with less than full fuel, that person simply coordinates it with whomever takes it up before them, if possible, or goes up for some extra practice if not.
Chris
N449TS / DA42-NG / 42.AC049
KHIO
User avatar
Lance Murray
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1163
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:25 pm
First Name: Lance
Aircraft Type: DA40
Airports:
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 118 times

Re: How much fuel do you typically keep in the tanks?

Post by Lance Murray »

How about just using a company credit card for all fuel and just setting up a per-hour fee to cover the fuel?
User avatar
Graham
4 Diamonds Member
4 Diamonds Member
Posts: 295
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2011 5:35 pm
First Name: Graham
Aircraft Type: DA40
Airports: CYKZ
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: How much fuel do you typically keep in the tanks?

Post by Graham »

Lance Murray wrote:How about just using a company credit card for all fuel and just setting up a per-hour fee to cover the fuel?
That's how we do it. However, our airport pulls the plane and fuels what you request so it isn't work for the next pilot and leaves room for useful load. We also log time and fuel remaining in an online log after each flight so the next person knows what they need to order.
User avatar
Chris B
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 843
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:52 am
First Name: Chris
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N171CB
Airports: KRHV
Has thanked: 210 times
Been thanked: 215 times

Re: How much fuel do you typically keep in the tanks?

Post by Chris B »

Lance Murray wrote:How about just using a company credit card for all fuel and just setting up a per-hour fee to cover the fuel?
This is the way I was leaning, but am curious how other people handle fuel.
I'm not exactly svelte :oops:, so me + 50 gallons = 2 person plane. Me + 30 gallons = 3 person plane.
Graham wrote:We also log time and fuel remaining in an online log after each flight...
What tool do you use?

Any issues with condensation, or is the partially-full-tank problem over-blown?

Chris
Antoine
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 2043
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2010 11:00 pm
First Name: Antoine
Aircraft Type: OTHER
Aircraft Registration: N121AG
Airports: LSGG
Has thanked: 87 times
Been thanked: 220 times

Re: How much fuel do you typically keep in the tanks?

Post by Antoine »

Chris

First of all welcome to our friendly community. You are very right: this forum is a place where one actually makes "real" friends as opposed to flaming debates.
I have met in person two of our forum members in the last few weeks and it was a great pleasure.

Regarding condensation in the tanks, I am in the unfortunate position of being able to give you a competent answer: my plane sits on the tarmac all year long and I have never ever seen a sign of water in the tanks, not even in the worst of fall where the plane was dripping from condensation.
I believe this is partly because our fuel cells are separate (no wet wing) and enclosed in a composite "blanket". The fuel caps are also high quality and do not seem to leak at all.

Safe flying

Antoine
User avatar
Graham
4 Diamonds Member
4 Diamonds Member
Posts: 295
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2011 5:35 pm
First Name: Graham
Aircraft Type: DA40
Airports: CYKZ
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: How much fuel do you typically keep in the tanks?

Post by Graham »

Chris B wrote:
Graham wrote:We also log time and fuel remaining in an online log after each flight...
What tool do you use?

Any issues with condensation, or is the partially-full-tank problem over-blown?
We just use an excel spreadsheet in google docs built to capture hobbs, air time and fuel remaining. Everyone sets up an account and then just set the document to share with the other pilots.

I have yet to see any water in a fuel test but the plane does fly a fair bit so condensation may not really develop.
User avatar
Robin
4 Diamonds Member
4 Diamonds Member
Posts: 456
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:28 am
First Name: Robin
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: VH-JRZ
Airports: YMPC POINT COOK, MELBOURNE
Has thanked: 25 times
Been thanked: 11 times

Re: How much fuel do you typically keep in the tanks?

Post by Robin »

G'Day

Have to agree with Antoine and Graham, my aircraft is also outside, and never have had any issues with condensation. The fuel caps do seem to seal well. Some of the condensation apparently is from the air in the tanks.

I use to fly an old Partenavia - twin engine. We would get water from the fuel drain before every flight, sometimes draining 100 mls...engines never missed a beat.

Its usually me or my stepson flying, so W& B is not an issue.

Cheers


Robin
Robin
DA-40XLS 40.1078
VH-JRZ, Australia
User avatar
Rich
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 4592
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 12:40 pm
First Name: Rich
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N40XE
Airports: S39 Prineville OR
Has thanked: 145 times
Been thanked: 1180 times

Re: How much fuel do you typically keep in the tanks?

Post by Rich »

Lance Murray wrote:How about just using a company credit card for all fuel and just setting up a per-hour fee to cover the fuel?
I do it this way. It's not precise, but it's close enough and gives folks flexibility and convenience.

There has long been some belief that leaving a bunch of air in the tanks while the plane is parked produces water condensation in the tanks, leading many to be obsessive about keeping their tanks full when parked. I don't do that and neither do any of the FBOs at my home field. I've owned the plane over ten years and have yet to find even a single drop of water in testing fuel samples before flight.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
Post Reply