BJJ to PHX in one day

[Morne]

Why did replacement bladders take away 10gallons of petrol?

They didn't take away any gasoline capacity, they took away useable capacity. The fear was that replacement bladders would have wrinkles on the bottom that could act as fuel dams, keeping the last 5 or so gallons per side from flowing down to the feed point. Considering how replacement bladders are installed, that's understandable. Not that you want the original 50+ year old bladders, they'd be leaking for sure!

Did the return trip yesterday, let's hear it for tailwinds! PHX TCC OWI CFJ BJJ, 145-150 knots ground speed most of the time. Between OWI & CFJ I had to pick my way between some scattered storms, but the ATC folks were very helpful and my strike finder again did yeoman's work.

 

[Morne]

Are age, experience, physical condition and conditioning, weight, activity level, mental/emotional effort required based on experience and other stress factors the same?

I've never met Ted, but I can give my brief answers for myself:
Age = late 30s
Experience = 350-ish hours TT, IR rated and current
Physical Condition = good (dramatic improvement last 6 months, but that's for another thread)
Weight = low 210s (6' 2"), but geez, it's a C-182 and I was solo!
Activity level = good

 

[Ted]

Mine are a bit different. Late 20s, 2000ish TT, almost all XC/IFR, good shape, 180 lbs or so (wife's cooking has helped the weight a bit).

As I recall, you're in Ohio. We should get together and talk airplanes sometime.

 

[coma24]

Morne,

Congrats on the trip, quite an achievement! I'm curious about one thing, you mentioned "22 squared" over the low lands, then WOT up high. How come you're flying low and powered back rather than 6500-8500ft at WOT to get the best efficiency (ie, you can run WOT and still lean out)?

I'm doing NJ to TX next week, a trip I've done 3 times in the past, it's around 1200nm. This is where having the Lancair really helps...it's 6 to 6.5hrs depending on winds. I'll make one fuel stop (usually Owensboro, KY), which works out to 2 x 3hr legs. A no brainer Total fuel burn for 1200nm will be around 65 gals.

 

[N747JB]

So, if I understand this correctly, YOU have decided the lesser useful load, not the actual bladders? It still holds the original 65 or so gallons, you are afraid the last 5 aren't useable?
Personally, I try never to cut it so close that the last couple gallons is my reserve, so I don't disagree with keeping it the reserve high, it's just confusing the way it was originally stated.

They didn't take away any gasoline capacity, they took away useable capacity. The fear was that replacement bladders would have wrinkles on the bottom that could act as fuel dams, keeping the last 5 or so gallons per side from flowing down to the feed point. Considering how replacement bladders are installed, that's understandable. Not that you want the original 50+ year old bladders, they'd be leaking for sure!

Did the return trip yesterday, let's hear it for tailwinds! PHX TCC OWI CFJ BJJ, 145-150 knots ground speed most of the time. Between OWI & CFJ I had to pick my way between some scattered storms, but the ATC folks were very helpful and my strike finder again did yeoman's work.

 

[Morne]

So, if I understand this correctly, YOU have decided the lesser useful load, not the actual bladders? It still holds the original 65 or so gallons, you are afraid the last 5 aren't useable?
Personally, I try never to cut it so close that the last couple gallons is my reserve, so I don't disagree with keeping it the reserve high, it's just confusing the way it was originally stated.

Cessna requires that they be placarded, "27 Gallons Useable," per side if you replace the bladders. Not my call, but I understand how Cessna got there.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

We all do it once or twice. Its fun the first few times.... Like climbing U2.

I've never met Ted, but I can give my brief answers for myself:
Age = late 30s
Experience = 350-ish hours TT, IR rated and current
Physical Condition = good (dramatic improvement last 6 months, but that's for another thread)
Weight = low 210s (6' 2"), but geez, it's a C-182 and I was solo!
Activity level = good

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Cessna requires that they be placarded, "27 Gallons Useable," per side if you replace the bladders. Not my call, but I understand how Cessna got there.

Odd... Our usable didn't change when we replaced our bladders, but we had the long-range ones (78 usable).

 

[Morne]

I'm curious about one thing, you mentioned "22 squared" over the low lands, then WOT up high. How come you're flying low and powered back rather than 6500-8500ft at WOT to get the best efficiency (ie, you can run WOT and still lean out)?

I stayed down at 4000ft westbound as long as I could due to headwinds. Higher up got worse fairly quickly. So at 6500 it would have taken longer.

Generally I like to get up high, run WOT, lean it out and suck Oxygen. But I'm not going to do that if it slows me down. The only time I intentionally go high into headwinds is for unforgiving terrain be it mountains or open water. Example, when I cross Lake Michigan going to Oshkosh it is always above 10K even if that means the headwinds slow me down, altitude is very desirable over that much water!

 

[ChrisK]

I currently have 171 hours. I had to Google "WOT" and now feel like an idiot.

In any event, great thread Morne. Thanks for posting!

 

[catmandu]

I currently have 171 hours. I had to Google "WOT" and now feel like an idiot.!

Don't feel too bad, I have many more hours than that and it took forums like this to finally force me to look up many abbreviations (FIKI? Who is she, the winter flying Guru?).

 

[N747JB]

Cessna requires that they be placarded, "27 Gallons Useable," per side if you replace the bladders. Not my call, but I understand how Cessna got there.

It makes sense, sort of, but losing 10 gallons of useable fuel is crazy for installing new tanks! I guess it doesn't affect the long range tanks which make up mist of the fleet. thanks for explaining it, I have learned something today!