C1K fuel

[forthbridge]

Rightio guys....in my ludicrous efforts to get all the way to RAF Mount Pleasant, I thought I'd cracked it just now. Using real weather, yesterday I got to witin 90 miles before the 3% fuel remaining killed three of four engines, so I reset for a go tonight.

Anyway, I altered course slightly, and was at 307nm out, FL430 and 8% fuel. Anyway, all of a sudden the wind changed, and I was forced to initiate a slight descent and select maximum thrust to get speed up. Once back to .78 mach, i initiated a small climg to gain the 3000 feet I'd dropped. At the top of the climb, engine 4 failed - with 7% fuel showing. I quickly opened the elctrics and fuel panel - all switches OK - by this time, all engines were out, so I trimmed the aircraft to a 150 knot descent, and set about a restart. Despite all efforts, each engine 'wound up' then immediately closed down. LP valve was open, all feeders set as they had been, and the olnly engine that got close to starting was number 2 - which would 'low idle' for about a minute then die again.

Anyone any hints? - I'm vexed, as I was looking forward to annoying you all with a screenie showing touchdown.... :flying:

[RAF_Quantum]

Hi,

Alas there is an amount of unuseable fuel in the VC10, @ 2500kgs if I remember correctly, which has caught more than one person out. I think you'll just have to face facts that you are pushing the envelope a bit too much and stick to more realistic stage lengths. Please let me know if you were to ever get an ATPL and start flying revenue flights for real, I'll make sure I avoid flying with you. There may be some dodgy African operators that would take you on very willingly though ;-)

Regards

John

[forthbridge]

My pleasure mate! In this days of credit crunch, forthbridge air is the way forward! No fuel surcharge!

Seriously, I have managed the flight once before, and I'm curious why I got down to 3% load on the last flight, and 7% this time? (Did not note fuel weight but I'm sure it was well over 2500kg....)

[DaveB]

Jim does it again

My memory gets worse on a daily basis but I seem to remember a RW NO-NO figure of 4000kg.. below which you run the risk of exposing fuel pumps. That may seem a lot but the VC10 has bloody big tanks Considering you would be looking at landing with around 7,500kgs onboard.. to take it much lower is always going to open avenues of disaster ;-) One of our VA VC10 flights is EGLL to EGCC (with onward routing) and I know of one VA pilot who only uplifted fuel for that distance. He ended up landing at Northolt (this is probably one of the ones John remembers)

Anyway Jim.. you have now found out that it's possible to run the VC10 dry and dry is NOT zero fuel!

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[DanKH]

Actually the "critical" amount is 4000 kgs

[forthbridge]

Cheers Dave.... I will have another look at my course. I'm sure I can maybe shave another few minutes off it!!!

(Just think of the fuel tips I can then give you for the VA Dave)......

[SkippyBing]

Not sure of the figures for the VC-10, but have you tried shutting down one or more engines in flight? It may work out better for the fuel/distance side of things although obviously it'll take longer to get there!

[forthbridge]

Not sure of the figures for the VC-10, but have you tried shutting down one or more engines in flight? It may work out better for the fuel/distance side of things although obviously it'll take longer to get there!

Well, in order to get the range, I'm having to run the engines a little faster than would be ideal - but since this is one-way, I'm sure the techs at Mount Pleasant won't mind refurbishing four Conways.....

I need to get above FL400 while still above 90% fuel load - this is possible without issue, but about 92% throttle is needed to maintain airspeed. When the aircraft gets lighter I can climb and then reduce thrust. My target is circa 50% load at Ascension - which I was just short of earlier (but had wandered about 80 miles off track when I went to make a cuppa). A little tweaking on the course (I am basically aiming to pass over Ascension on course for the Falklands, generally turning roughly 1 degree every hundred NM, give or take.). Having had a good look, I reckon if I aim to be just south of Ascension and set a degree or two over, I can claim a fistful of miles that way as well.

However, If I plan the descent carefully, I reckon I can save a few kilos by shutting a couple down and ticking the other two over..... :think:

EDIT: Flying over the pond, I've been noting fuel/weather for the 10 and a POSKY 737 - both of which reach two seperate locations with, depending on winds, a 10% fuel remaining variation - so I'm confident that [at some point] fair winds will also help!!

[DanKH]

On a few of my occasional flights with the 10, I've found that if you every now and than let some wind pass it will add to the the capable distance.



:fart:

[forthbridge]

Dan, dan... :fart:

Must try that before bedtime.... might not get shouted at