h2oskier62
New Member
I am in the process of replacing the wings on a Homebuilt biplane. The top wing is a Piper aluminum wing with fabric covering with Piper fuel tanks. I have built a center section of matching structure with an additional fuel tank, for a total of 3 - 18 gal. tanks. I have been lurking for quite a while and decided to dip my toes in the water here for some advice.
I would appreciate some advice regarding the fuel plumbing from the tanks to the firewall. There are 2 fuel pickups on each of the tanks, fore and aft. My idea is to keep it simple with all 3 forward tank outlets plumbed together in a "manifold" and all 3 aft outlets plumbed together having 2 fuel lines come down the cabane struts and join up behind the firewall to one shutoff valve. I do have some concerns about parking on a site that is not level and the fuel gravity cross-feeding and overflowing the low side fuel tank. I thought about valves in the manifold to isolate each tank (while parked) to stop any fuel migration. I have also thought about a fuel selector that would allow for individual tank selection, which would require fuel management in flight and require that 6 fuel lines come down the cabane struts, not ideal.
Suggestions?
I would appreciate some advice regarding the fuel plumbing from the tanks to the firewall. There are 2 fuel pickups on each of the tanks, fore and aft. My idea is to keep it simple with all 3 forward tank outlets plumbed together in a "manifold" and all 3 aft outlets plumbed together having 2 fuel lines come down the cabane struts and join up behind the firewall to one shutoff valve. I do have some concerns about parking on a site that is not level and the fuel gravity cross-feeding and overflowing the low side fuel tank. I thought about valves in the manifold to isolate each tank (while parked) to stop any fuel migration. I have also thought about a fuel selector that would allow for individual tank selection, which would require fuel management in flight and require that 6 fuel lines come down the cabane struts, not ideal.
Suggestions?
