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that the right main quantity was not dropping. Yay! The system was working as planned; and we had not turned on the ferry system pump. That 5.5 psid pressurization- provided “shove” was all we needed.
Lastly, I pulled the right standby pump CB – we had previously removed the hot battery bus fuses for the right standby pump – and moved the crossfeed switch to the left. This powered the crossfeed valve to the open position but did not activate the standby pump. Doing this provided a path for our ferry fuel to reach the left, as well as right engine.
Again, a half-hour or so of waiting confirmed that none of our main fuel was being consumed. Success! A plane full of happy people headed back to Oakland.
By the way, I understand that the military and other operators use a completely different ferry fuel system in the 200- and 300-series of King Airs. Instead of feeding into the crossfeed line I believe fuel flows from the cabin into both side’s aux tanks and from there gets transferred normally into the main tanks before being consumed. Can any of my readers confirm this and explain exactly what is involved in the installation? Specifically, how does the venting system work and how does the fuel get to the aux tanks?
The system that I designed seems to be simple with only one fitting on one line necessary. It requires very little airplane modification: The T-fitting and the overboard vent. Am I missing something? Is there some lurking danger in this design of which I am unaware? It certainly worked perfectly all across the Pacific!
Please email or phone me directly at twcaz@msn. com / (602) 625-9132 if you have any information to share concerning other ferry tank arrangements. I will give you credit and acknowledgement if I include your information in a future article. Thank you!
To be continued next month ... KA
King Air expert Tom Clements has been flying and instructing in King Airs for over 46 years, and is the author of “The King Air Book.” He is a Gold Seal CFI and has over 23,000 total hours with more than 15,000 in King Airs. For information on ordering his book, contact Tom direct at twcaz@msn. com. Tom is actively mentoring the instructors at King Air Academy in Phoenix.
If you have a question you’d like Tom to answer, please send it to Editor Kim Blonigen at editor@blonigen.net.
JULY 2019
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 25