Liberty Fueling Concern

[Graueradler]

We had a Liberty stop in the other day. It is the first one I have seen. The fueling port is high on the fuselage immediately behind the pilot side gull wing cockpit door. The cabin forms sort of a tub below the level of the bottom of the door opening. We had a left quartering tail wind when ready to fuel and the pilot had left the door open.

How is this different that the videos you see of a boat going up in flames after being fueled and having the gas fumes collect in the boat?

I pointed out my concern to the pilot and we closed the door before fueling.

Unless there is something that I don't understand about the situation, this seems like something that Liberty should be warning owners about and maybe it needs a warning placard near the fuel port.

 

[mikea]

Just don't pump the gas into the fishing pole mount hole and it'll be fine.

 

[Ken Ibold]

IMO, the fuel tank setup in the Liberty is a major design flaw (and I said as much in an Aviation Consumer article I wrote about it five years ago). I don't like the whole idea of carrying fuel in the cabin. Period. The filler neck is just the tip of the iceburg.

 

[dmccormack]

IMO, the fuel tank setup in the Liberty is a major design flaw (and I said as much in an Aviation Consumer article I wrote about it five years ago). I don't like the whole idea of carrying fuel in the cabin. Period. The filler neck is just the tip of the iceburg.

Agreed. The Model 35 Bonanza had a Aux fuel tank option -- 20 gallons behind the rear baggage compartment.

Not good.

Lindbergh knew a thing or two about airplanes, and he sat behind all fuel tanks. In the event of a crash, he didn't want all that fuel flying forward and soaking him from behind.

 

[TMetzinger]

He'd rather have himself flung into the fireball?

The Eclipse has a similar center-mount fuel tank. The tank is in the belly, and I don't see a huge problem with it. Many many low wing airplanes have some sort of central tank of various sizes.

 

[Henning]

IMO, the fuel tank setup in the Liberty is a major design flaw (and I said as much in an Aviation Consumer article I wrote about it five years ago). I don't like the whole idea of carrying fuel in the cabin. Period. The filler neck is just the tip of the iceburg.

I'm not particularly fond of it, and I don't want a header tank, but there are some tanks that go in the cabins of some planes I don't mind. Typically I look at the set up and estimate what kind of impact would be required to ruptue or dislocate the tank, and what are the chances of me being dead already at that point. I don't mind being creamated as long as I'm dead. Then of course there's ferry tanks, well, we're getting paid and hope for the best....

 

[ScottM]

He'd rather have himself flung into the fireball?

The Eclipse has a similar center-mount fuel tank. The tank is in the belly, and I don't see a huge problem with it. Many many low wing airplanes have some sort of central tank of various sizes.

What you do not think it was a good idea to have a fuel tank right behind the hot, HOT engine??

I have to imagine, unless presented with evidence to the contrary, that the decision on the placement of fuel tanks on the Spirit of St. Louis was one of 'how big' or 'how much' fuel it could hold and weight & balance issues.

 

[ajalali]

What you do not think it was a good idea to have a fuel tank right behind the hot, HOT engine??

I have to imagine, unless presented with evidence to the contrary, that the decision on the placement of fuel tanks on the Spirit of St. Louis was one of 'how big' or 'how much' fuel it could hold and weight & balance issues.

Yeah, read his book, "The Spirit of St. Louis."

Amazing.

That and Wind, Sand, and Stars.

 

[ScottM]

Yeah, read his book, "The Spirit of St. Louis."

Amazing.

That and Wind, Sand, and Stars.

And what will I find?