Mahindra GIPPSAERO GA8-TC 320, Operating Handbook

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C01-01-08 5 Feb 2009 Page 7-9
Section 7
Aircraft & Systems
Model GA8-TC 320 Description
7.13 FUEL SYSTEM
The GA8-TC 320 fuel system consists of a fuel tank in each wing, a sump fuel tank in the
fuselage floor and associated plumbing. Each wing tank has a capacity of 170 litres (44.9 US
gallons), and are integrally formed within the wing structure between the front and rear wing
spars inboard of the wing strut fittings. The wing tanks are fitted with conventional filler caps.
Fuel is gravity fed from the inboard and outboard corner of each wing tank to the sump tank.
The sump tank is located under the cockpit floor, below the co-pilot seat position. The sump
tank is integrally formed within the floor structure and permanently connected through a single
bulkhead mounted filter and valve assembly to the main wing tanks in such a manner that cross
feeding cannot occur. All wing and sump tank outlets have finger filters.
The Electric Boost Pump is mounted adjacent to the sump tank and draws fuel directly from it.
The fuel is then plumbed to the fuel shut off valve and onwards through the firewall to the engine
driven pump that supplies the injection system.
Five fuel system drain points are provided:
• Under both wing tanks at the inboard rear corner.
• From the sump tank on the right hand side of the forward fuselage belly.
• Below each main fuel strainer on the right hand side of the forward fuselage belly
just aft of the sump tank drain.
The airspaces between the wing tanks and sump tank are interconnected via vent lines that run
from each tank to the vent plenum located in the cabin roof. The plenum contains stand pipes
that prevent cross feeding and excessive fuel loss overboard. The plenum is vented and drained
to a position on the underside of the right hand wing, just aft of the rear spar, approximately
890 mm (35 in.) out from the fuselage.
A fuel low warning system is provided by means of solid-state fuel sensing devices installed in
the main feed lines, just aft of the forward cabin doors in the fuselage side panels. Two amber
caution lights, two red warning lights positioned on the left hand side of the instrument panel are
operated by these sensors. The two amber “CHECK FUEL” lights will illuminate independently
indicating when there is no fuel flow in the corresponding main fuel feed lines. These lights will
begin to flash in flight at very low fuel quantities due to fuel sloshing. The red “FUEL” warning
light and red “SUMP TANK LOW FUEL” warn the pilot that only a few litres of fuel remain in the
sump tank.
The fuel quantity indicating system is by an electrically operated fuel float sensor in each main
fuel tank. Two fuel gauges are located at the top left hand corner of the instrument panel.
NOTE:
See section 3 of this manual for procedures associated with these caution and
warning lights.
NOTE:
As ground and flight attitudes are essentially the same the fuel gauge indications are
valid in either case.
01 Aug 2011