4 Main Tanks?

[Zac Weidner]

Thanks for posting about your aircraft, Kestrel. Do you mind sharing some details about how you managed to modify the wings to hold the extra fuel? This is the power setting for the IO-320 in the Twin Comanche. 75% is only obtainable up to 9,000 ft. in standard conditions. If I could get 130+ kts at the optimum altitudes, I'll be happy.

[kestrel]

There is little I can say about how it was built as I was not the engineer/designer (that was Bob) and I was also not the builder. I'm not awesome like the rest of you who are builders. I'm the 4th owner of this bird, though I have put as many hours on it as the previous 3 owners. The differences are closed up inside the wing and I don't have anything to compare it to. Ask Bob? He did the engineering and might still have the notes/documents?

The T fitting is just a little blue T fitting near the floor on the rear fuel line from the right tank.

When full, it does feel very heavy, both on the ground and in the air. The yaw and roll inertia are both quite high. With the O-540 up front, it has no problem getting off the ground.

Fuel is transferred from the auxes to the mains by an electric pump in each wing. I expect this is the same for a normal build. Fuel management requires a little attention because there are no gauges and since the mains/inboards would need to be empty before the entire contents of the auxes/outboards will fit when transferred. I burn the mains down a bit then estimate the time to transfer 1/2 or 1/3 (or so..) of the fuel. ...then burn the mains down again and transfer again.