"loop" on Bonanza tail?

[GeorgeC]

I saw a beautiful forked tailed doctor killer on the ramp today. On the left side of the empennage, there was a rectangular metal loop of some sort sticking out, maybe 2 feet long. From a distance, it looked like rebar, but I'm sure that's not what it was. Antenna of some sort?

 

[weilke]

VOR antenna

 

[Greg Bockelman]

"Towel Bar" VOR Antenna

 

[poadeleted21]

Yup. Mine has them too.

 

[Geico266]

I saw a beautiful forked tailed doctor killer on the ramp today. On the left side of the empennage, there was a rectangular metal loop of some sort sticking out, maybe 2 feet long. From a distance, it looked like rebar, but I'm sure that's not what it was. Antenna of some sort?

Old school antenna.

 

[GeorgeC]

Thanks, that makes two things I learned yesterday. The other was that a quick glance to check if the tabs are wet does not mean you have fuel to the tabs (caught later in preflight by totalizer and gauges).

 

[kgruber]

Thanks, that makes two things I learned yesterday. The other was that a quick glance to check if the tabs are wet does not mean you have fuel to the tabs (caught later in preflight by totalizer and gauges).

George,

One thing to consider. Neither the totalizer or gauge tells you if there is ACTUALLY fuel in the tank.

A visual check is, by far, the most reliable method of checking fuel.

 

[GeorgeC]

I agree completely.

The usual protocol is to fill it to the tabs after you're done flying, so I was expecting the aircraft to be in that state. I did a quick visual check (and missed) when a more thorough visual check was required.

The lesson learned was to cross check, utilize all information, and avoid complacency.

 

[John Collins]

Thanks, that makes two things I learned yesterday. The other was that a quick glance to check if the tabs are wet does not mean you have fuel to the tabs (caught later in preflight by totalizer and gauges).

In the V tails that have the dual 40 gallon tanks, if you see any whole fuel below the tab on the bottom of the bladder, you have at least a half tank of fuel.

 

[GeorgeC]

Alas, I am still on the left side of the Cherokee-Tiger-Mooney-Bonanza curve.