C310 Redux - confusing fuel selector colors

[StewartH 66]

11 hours ago, raymie said:

Maybe the "Crossfeed" function cannot be modelled due to flightsim limitations??? Only a guess on my part.

I'll plan to make a short flight this afternoon using the crossfeed settings and see how it goes.  I'm confident it's modeled correctly, flying P3Dv4.5, btw.

[fppilot 4,360]

1 hour ago, StewartH said:

@oneleg  Your original illustration in post #1 shows the fuel levers in a "crossfeed" configuration.  The left-hand switch is feeding the left main tank to the right engine, while the right-hand switch is feeding the right main tank to the left engine.  That is the definition of "crossfeed".  Notice the solid "yellow" border of the dial setting in each case.

And in this video it is clearly illustrated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m_MiCzq-tw

And here is a quote from the AOPA profile of the 310:

"Although the engine-compartment systems of the various 310s are fairly straightforward, the same cannot be said for the fuel system. It all started innocently enough, with those 50-gallon tip tanks as the only containers of fuel. Designed to shear off in the event of a crash, the tips were the only tanks until the 1958 B model. Then Cessna installed auxiliary tanks in the wings, good for an extra 40 total gallons. Wing locker tanks, each with 20 gallons total capacity, became options with the 1967 models. You could order one or both of the locker tanks. Finally, the auxiliary tanks were enlarged once more, in 1973, to 63 gallons total. Together, this means that 310s came with total capacities of 100, 140, 163, 183, or 203 gallons. A long-range airplane has six tanks and 10 fuel pumps.

Confused? Wait until you have to manage the tanks. Two main traps await the unwary 310 driver. First, all 310s suck more fuel from the tanks than the engines will use; both the pressure carburetor and fuel injection models have a return line from the engine compartments. However, this connection returns fuel only to the main tank on the same side as the engine. This means that using fuel from either the auxiliary tank on the same side, or the main tank on the opposite side, about half the fuel flow will be moving to the same-side main. When the main reaches capacity from the return fuel, any excess is sent overboard, and you can't cross-feed auxiliary fuel. Second, is the locker-tank scheme. Most airplanes have just one of these, and its contents cannot be consumed directly by the engines. Instead, locker fuel must be pumped to the corresponding main tank. So if you have a right-side locker, you will have to draw down the right main by at least 20 gallons to make room for the locker fuel and then crossfeed the left engine to minimize lateral imbalance from those extra 120 pounds now out on the right wing tip."

The full profile is at this link.  Not sure if you need to be an AOPA member to access it:
https://www.aopa.org/go-fly/aircraft-and-ownership/aircraft-fact-sheets/cessna-310

 

Edited September 13, 2020 by fppilot

[bofhlusr 453]

4 hours ago, fppilot said:

And in this video it is clearly illustrated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m_MiCzq-tw

...

 

Confused? Wait until you have to manage the tanks...

...
The full profile is at this link.  Not sure if you need to be an AOPA member to access it:
https://www.aopa.org/go-fly/aircraft-and-ownership/aircraft-fact-sheets/cessna-310

 

@fppilot Yep, totally confusing.

Time to do reading, nope ... studying.

I am not an AOPA member but I am able to view the link.

Thank you much.

[bofhlusr 453]

8 hours ago, Milviz said:

Support forums for questions (and answers)

 

@Milviz  I would except that I think this question I believe applies to everyone and not just specific to me.

But, let me know if you want me to repeat the questions in the support forums. Thank you for the reminder.

Edited September 13, 2020 by oneleg

[bofhlusr 453]

8 hours ago, fppilot said:

...  I start and stay on main tanks until they are half drained.  Then I switch the Aux tanks until they reach about 20% remaining,...

@fppilot 
1. You refer to "they". Does 'they' = to both main tanks? And, Aux tanks?  Do both same type tanks (main vs aux) drain at the same time?
2. Can I use the left main tank for the left engine and the right Aux tank for the right engine simultaneously?

[fppilot 4,360]

1 minute ago, oneleg said:

1. You refer to "they". Does 'they' = to both main tanks?

I start and stay on main tanks until they are half drained.  Not sure I understand your question.  The statement refers directly to the main tanks (period).

2 minutes ago, oneleg said:

2. Can I use the left main tank for the left engine and the right Aux tank for the right engine simultaneously?

Have no idea as I have never found a reason to do this.  Did you watch the video linked earlier where the pilot describes what would be done in an emergency such as a fuel leak?

[StewartH 66]

47 minutes ago, oneleg said:

Can I use the left main tank for the left engine and the right Aux tank for the right engine simultaneously?

Yes, you can, but I don't know why you would want to do that.  It would seem to confuse the whole fuel management operation.

[bofhlusr 453]

11 hours ago, StewartH said:

Yes, you can, but I don't know why you would want to do that.  It would seem to confuse the whole fuel management operation.

Just curious. I was wondering if the plane will automatically prevent the pilot from getting out-of-balance and thus automatically maintain the plane's center of gravity.

[bofhlusr 453]

12 hours ago, fppilot said:

I start and stay on main tanks until they are half drained.  Not sure I understand your question.  The statement refers directly to the main tanks (period).

Have no idea as I have never found a reason to do this.  Did you watch the video linked earlier where the pilot describes what would be done in an emergency such as a fuel leak?

I did but missed that part. I'll check again. Thanks.

[bofhlusr 453]

On 9/11/2020 at 11:44 AM, oneleg said:

The fuel selector dials have 4 main fuel tanks apparently. These are color coded in the sim (see below).
 

 

 

My left engine will start only if the left dial points to the "right main" engine (yellow)
Also, my right engine will start only if the right dial points to the "left main" engine (yellow)
See above.

What am I doing wrong?

[StewartH 66]

6 hours ago, oneleg said:

Just curious. I was wondering if the plane will automatically prevent the pilot from getting out-of-balance and thus automatically maintain the plane's center of gravity.

No way.  The pilot must do that himself.  The plane is stupid in that regard.

[StewartH 66]

5 hours ago, oneleg said:

My left engine will start only if the left dial points to the "right main" engine (yellow)
Also, my right engine will start only if the right dial points to the "left main" engine (yellow)
See above.

What am I doing wrong?

That should not be the case.  Sounds like a question for the Milviz support forum.  Sorry.

[Slayer68 63]

6 hours ago, oneleg said:

My left engine will start only if the left dial points to the "right main" engine (yellow)
Also, my right engine will start only if the right dial points to the "left main" engine (yellow)
See above.

What am I doing wrong?

Not sure what you are doing wrong but I just tested it on my system and it started fine for instance If I started the right engine on the blue set to right main. If you need further support please ask on our product support forum for the 310R and we will be happy to help you. Thanks.

 

[bofhlusr 453]

5 hours ago, Slayer68 said:

Not sure what you are doing wrong but I just tested it on my system and it started fine for instance If I started the right engine on the blue set to right main. If you need further support please ask on our product support forum for the 310R and we will be happy to help you. Thanks

@Slayer68 There's a mention in the forum (by jspringe, 3/16/18) that the labels are reversed. I'll follow it up with a new post in the support forum.

What time zone is the forum in?

Edited September 14, 2020 by oneleg

[Slayer68 63]

On 9/14/2020 at 6:11 PM, oneleg said:

What time zone is the forum in?

I believe it is on Eastern but no matter our devs are scattered all over the world so I don't think it really matters.