TimS wrote:Why do you have to "lock" the aux tanks?
It's not a security issue.
There's a hinged door that sits above the fuel caps for the auxiliary tanks located in the rear of the engine nacelles on Diamond DA42/DA62 twins. If you don't lock the door with a key, there's nothing to hold the door shut, it could open in flight, and be ripped off by the airflow.
Epic Aircraft E1000 GX
Former DA40XLS, DA42-VI, and DA62 owner
ATP, CFI, CFI-I, MEI
It will leak a little almost everytime it is completely full! The solution is to fill to "catndavid"'s suggestion. Very easy to see the "tab" he is talking about. Fuel ends up about an inch below top of filler cap. I haven't had any "leak out" when filled to that point!
I have taken off twice with the aux doors unlocked. No harm, but it made me feel stupid. In one case it was an interrupted walk-around and in the other it was a fueling event that happened after I had DONE the walk around, then I was called back inside after I had checked the tank levels (my usual post-fueling check).
Colin Summers, PP Multi-Engine IFR, ~3,000hrs colin@mightycheese.com * send email rather than PM http://www.flyingsummers.com
N972RD DA42 G1000 2.0 s/n 42.AC100 (sold!)
N971RD DA40 G1000 s/n 40.508 (traded)
Colin wrote:I have taken off twice with the aux doors unlocked.
I've taken off with one of the doors unlocked with no damage as well. I had actually turned the lock with the key, but it did not engage. You have to press the door closed a bit while locking to ensure the latch catches.
These wing protection matts are essential in some of the places we operate, where re-fuelers are not "well practised" with over wing re-fueling procedures. Saves an enormous amount of damage to our DA62 wing top skin and vortex generators.
CFIDave wrote:The newer DA62s (2017+) already have a clear plastic cover bonded to the wing surrounding the fuel tank openings.
True, they do provide light protection, but sometimes not enough from a particularly heavy handed re-fueller. Plus the vortex generators, and the wing surface around the auxiliary tanks are completely unprotected without using the matt.
In the Middle East I've had guys turn up with a massive A1 fuel bowser before looking perplexed at the prospect of an over wing re-fuel. Pending getting the correct adapter for their enormous gauge hose, they struggle to hold the thing over their shoulder high enough (usually with no stepladders) to position the nozzle with the required care.
Colin wrote:I have taken off twice with the aux doors unlocked. No harm, but it made me feel stupid. In one case it was an interrupted walk-around and in the other it was a fueling event that happened after I had DONE the walk around, then I was called back inside after I had checked the tank levels (my usual post-fueling check).
I've almost been there (had to get out in the run up area). I use the G1000 checklist and have changed it a bit... I suppose I can save some face by putting a line-item in there for aux doors and catch before taxiing off the non-movement area.
