Piper Down on LI

I always check the fuel with my finger if it isn't obviously topped off. Heck I rinse grime off my hands with the fuel before I hop in the cockpit. There's no indication the leaded fuel brained my damage.
 
I prefer topping off the tanks and then visually verifying. That way I know exactly how much fuel I have. I will happily haul the extra fuel. I do use the fuelhawk but I have found that I have to stick the tanks multiple times because I get different results. That does not exactly inspire confidence. I also have an auxiliary fuel tank which comes in handy when W&B permits.
 
GRG55 said:
Just don't drop it in the tank!
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Maybe drill a hole through a ball (tennis?) and slide gauge thru it. Big enough ball to prevent the gauge from falling into the tank? ;)
 
Even better! Made in China no doubt. I'm sure WalMart stocks them then. o_O:D
 
mscard88 said:
Why the manufacturers haven't been forced to come up with a better fuel measuring system is almost criminal. 30 years ago I made my own measuring sticks (wooden paint stirrers or dowels are good) for the 152 and 172 I was teaching in. As azure mentions, there are commercial ones available now and it's worth the expense. Regardless, people will still run their planes out of fuel unfortunately.
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That.

Best upgrade for any plane, and something that tells you about the owner of a plane, having or lacking a simple 5 buck fuel stick.

Best ones I've seen were owner made, 1 inch wide and 12 inches long, so you can't easily loose it in the tank, hard wood dowel from Home Depot.

Simply run a tank dry or drain it, add 2 gallons at a time and mark the dowl, once you get it all marked up take a Dremel and a engraving bit, or a pipe cutter, and go over the marks, paint the engraved rings and numbers and you're set.
 
James331 said:
That.

Best upgrade for any plane, and something that tells you about the owner of a plane, having or lacking a simple 5 buck fuel stick.

Best ones I've seen were owner made, 1 inch wide and 12 inches long, so you can't easily loose it in the tank, hard wood dowel from Home Depot.

Simply run a tank dry or drain it, add 2 gallons at a time and mark the dowl, once you get it all marked up take a Dremel and a engraving bit, or a pipe cutter, and go over the marks, paint the engraved rings and numbers and you're set.
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Something like a paint stirring stick. I always made one when I was flying in Alaska. Didn't want to take off with full tanks when full is not needed. Don't want to leave revenue behind. I am sure my home made sticks were not accurate, but I never ran a tank dry accidently.
 
James331 said:
That.

Best upgrade for any plane, and something that tells you about the owner of a plane, having or lacking a simple 5 buck fuel stick.

Best ones I've seen were owner made, 1 inch wide and 12 inches long, so you can't easily loose it in the tank, hard wood dowel from Home Depot.

Simply run a tank dry or drain it, add 2 gallons at a time and mark the dowl, once you get it all marked up take a Dremel and a engraving bit, or a pipe cutter, and go over the marks, paint the engraved rings and numbers and you're set.
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Make sure the plane is level first...
 
acrophile said:
Wait, really? You intentionally dip your finger into lead? That sounds inadvisable.

The survival multitool on my lanyard includes a small mirror, which (combined with a flashlight when necessary) gives me a view into the tanks of a 172. The fuel caps are attached with small chains which, when jiggled, create ripples in the fuel, enhancing its visibility.
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There's only a half a gram of lead in a gallon.
 
mscard88 said:
Why the manufacturers haven't been forced to come up with a better fuel measuring system is almost criminal. 30 years ago I made my own measuring sticks (wooden paint stirrers or dowels are good) for the 152 and 172 I was teaching in. As azure mentions, there are commercial ones available now and it's worth the expense. Regardless, people will still run their planes out of fuel unfortunately.
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It's amazing that the most critical item on a flight is how much fuel is available, yet the gauge in my lawnmower is probably more accurate.
 
bflynn said:
As PIC, you are responsible for other people's lives. Are you sure that is the standard you want to hold yourself to? That if you mess something up, you never are allowed to fly again?
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If I end someone's life due to me making a stupid mistake. As much as I love it I don't know If I could ever get in a plane again.

But I digress I was not there and I can not imagine the mental anguish that instructor is going through
 
James331 said:
That.

Best upgrade for any plane, and something that tells you about the owner of a plane, having or lacking a simple 5 buck fuel stick.

Best ones I've seen were owner made, 1 inch wide and 12 inches long, so you can't easily loose it in the tank, hard wood dowel from Home Depot.

Simply run a tank dry or drain it, add 2 gallons at a time and mark the dowl, once you get it all marked up take a Dremel and a engraving bit, or a pipe cutter, and go over the marks, paint the engraved rings and numbers and you're set.
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You're including a few gallons of "unusable fuel" like that, per tank. Depending on the airplane, that can mean flying with no VFR reserve, without realizing it.
 
MAKG1 said:
You're including a few gallons of "unusable fuel" like that, per tank. Depending on the airplane, that can mean flying with no VFR reserve, without realizing it.
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Run the tank dry and start from there. When I dry tank there is no fuel left in the tank directly under the fuel opening.
 
brian109 said:
If I end someone's life due to me making a stupid mistake. As much as I love it I don't know If I could ever get in a plane again.

But I digress I was not there and I can not imagine the mental anguish that instructor is going through
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I agree with this. I don't condone what he has done but how could you get back in another plane again after what happened?
 
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