DC3 Fuel management

[Guest ogeva]

Hello all.I have read carefully the MAAM manual and PTM, and I do understand how to operate the (not so complicated) fuel management system on the plane.However, I didn't find anywhere in the manuals how to load and manage fuel in-flight? Do I fill the main tanks first and only then the aux tanks? If so, do I pump fro, AUX first and when they're drained go to the main tanks? Or is it managed differently?Perhaps someone can shed some light on this issue?

[Dark Moment 0]

This is what Trev Morson of www.douglasdc3.com fame has to say about fuel management, which is pretty accurate I think:"Be sure that fuel levels are balanced in each of the main tanks. Always take off drawing fuel from the main tanks, left main tank-left engine, right main tank-right engine. Only switch to aux tanks (or single aux tank) when desired cruising altitude is reached. The minimum limit of fuel in each main tank when landing should be 40 gallons and 10 gallons in the aux.Never take off with less than 60 gallons of fuel in each main tank. Always burn fuel from the right tank (preferably to right engine) for approximately 20 minutes to allow for carburetor return air flow (the left main tank is equippped with a by-pass to the auxilary tank so no need to do the same for the left). 5 gallons of fuel in each of the tanks (including aux) are unusable, this is because there is a standpipe arrangement in each tank, incoporated to prevent sedimentation into strainers and carburetors.A DC-3's fuel capacity is actually 210 gallons in each of the main tanks and 201 gallons in the left aux tank. A C-47 would have 202 gallons in each of the main tanks and 200 in each of the aux tanks.DC-3 Minimum Oil?Maximum Oil capacity is 2 x 29 gallons. Never take off with less than 22 gallons oil in each tank. Do not begin to taxi until Oil temp is 40 degrees."One more thing you need to know, though. By default in most situations, the MAAM-SIM DC-3 is set for LEFT MAIN>LEFT ENGINE, RIGHT MAIN>RIGHT ENGINE. However, because of a glitch in FS this may give you correct draw by the left engine but an anomaly with the right engine where it draws from ALL tanks. To expand on this, by default the right engine draws from LEFT MAIN, RIGHT MAIN, LEFT AUX and RIGHT AUX all at once. Hence over distance you'll notice that the LEFT MAIN seems to drain very quickly indeed, given that the left engine AND the right engine are taking from it; this is not a good thing.To correct this, simply switch out of the default settings and back to LEFT MAIN>LEFT ENGINE and RIGHT MAIN>RIGHT ENGINE before departure. That will set everything as it should be.Dave Bitzer and I, who have previously corrected this FS anomaly for the default FS9 DC-3, have already prepared a correction for this annoyance, but have yet to determine whether this will be officially uploaded. We have not even put it to MAAM-SIM as yet as there are other small things we would like to add as well including AUTORICH and AUTOLEAN capability, and these would all be in one package. Give it time.Mark "Dark Moment" Beaumonthttp://www.swiremariners.com/newlogo.jpg

[Guest Robert W]

Hi all,I am still currant on DC3s, and the normal fuel management is to calculate the fuel required for the trip, then fill the main tanks first and the remainder is normally split between the aux. tanks.In flight if the main tanks are full you must use these first for at least thirty minutes as there is a fuel return system from the carb.to the main tanks to allow for the return of excess fuel not used by the engine. After this period it is normal to use the aux. tanks down to approx. 20-30 gals remaining then complete the remainder of the flight on the mains. Of course as per the check list one should always land and take off using the mains. I hope this helps.Robert

[Guest ogeva]

Thanks Mark and Robert, I got my answers!Cheers!