View Single Post
Old 10-21-2018, 04:46 AM   #301
woofa.express
Senior Member
 
woofa.express's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Tocumwal, NSW, Australia
Posts: 1,748
Default Re: tell a Model A related story

Second incidence of Pilot induced Fuel Starvation.

It is the strangest aeroplane I’ve ever seen. An Airtruk. A strange configuration. Engine with pilot immediately behind and hopper filled behind pilot and the load falls under the pilot. Good visibility, beautiful handling characters and dismal safety record. I have declined work simply because I don’t like them and they frighten me.
I did agree to position one back to base following maintenance. The fuel selection valve confused me so I sort an opinion from another pilot. We settled on the shortend of the pointer indicating the selected fuel tank, or visa versa, I don’t recall, (1974).
Nearly back to base the engine quit. I knew immediately why and selected the fuel valve the other way and hit the fuel pump – the same way as I did with the Fletcher- downwards. The engine never picked up and down in the blackberries I went. Got it restarted and took off. Farmers were arriving on their motor bikes but I was airborne.
It turns out that selecting the fuel pump down works only with the starter motor engaged. I should have hit it upwards and I would have had almost immediate power. Most aeroplanes one lifts the toggle to engage. The Fletcher being the only odd one here and since I flew it every day that is what I was accustomed to.
There is similarity in this case and that mentioned yesterday. Not being current on type and especially since one aeroplane type, the Fletcher, was different to all other types.
The picture was sort from the internet.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg hazeair airtruk.jpg (19.1 KB, 22 views)
__________________
I know many things,
But I don't know everything,
Sometimes I forget things.

And there are times when I have a long memory.
woofa.express is offline   Reply With Quote