Cri Cri Down in Doylestown

jesse said:
Keep in mind that the way many certificate airplanes are built a bit differently. The fuel tank in a Cri-Cri is directly underneath your legs. If the tank fails during an impact it's going to get nasty.

Cricri_June_2012_06_0.JPG
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Yikes. That design looks -- unpleasant. Fuel belongs in wings. I sometimes wonder about many EXP planes with a header tank right in front of the panel. Also, some older planes have the same thing.
 
jesse said:
Keep in mind that the way many certificate airplanes are built a bit differently. The fuel tank in a Cri-Cri is directly underneath your legs. If the tank fails during an impact it's going to get nasty.
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similarly, there was a two seat, tandem, ultralight of some sort at our airfield a few weeks ago...the seats were the fuel tanks. There's no effing way I'd strap myself to the fuel in a plane.
 
timwinters said:
similarly, there was a two seat, tandem, ultralight of some sort at our airfield a few weeks ago...the seats were the fuel tanks. There's no effing way I'd strap myself to the fuel in a plane.
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Allegro 2000 (new LSA) still has the fuel under the seats as well. Mentioned that to the rep at OSH last year, and he tried to spin it as a positive! :loco:
 
timwinters said:
similarly, there was a two seat, tandem, ultralight of some sort at our airfield a few weeks ago...the seats were the fuel tanks. There's no effing way I'd strap myself to the fuel in a plane.
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There are actually a few planes where the fuel is in the cockpit but that tanks are in the wings. The Grumman Yankee ( Trainer) as clear sight tubes in the walls of the cockpit that show fuel level I think some Lancairs do as well.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Allegro 2000 (new LSA) still has the fuel under the seats as well. Mentioned that to the rep at OSH last year, and he tried to spin it as a positive! :loco:
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Plastic tank under the seat is probably better then a metal tank behind the instrument panel. Wonder what famous little airplane was built that way...
 
AdamZ said:
There are actually a few planes where the fuel is in the cockpit but that tanks are in the wings. The Grumman Yankee ( Trainer) as clear sight tubes in the walls of the cockpit that show fuel level I think some Lancairs do as well.
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And many planes have fuel pressure gauges that are direct-pressure reading in the cockpit - meaning that the fuel line runs through the firewall and into the panel.
 
wsuffa said:
And many planes have fuel pressure gauges that are direct-pressure reading in the cockpit - meaning that the fuel line runs through the firewall and into the panel.
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Same for oil pressure. My Mooney had both until I converted by FP gauge to an electronic one.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
NTSB prelim: http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20130601X50034&key=1

Says it took him 2800 feet to get off the ground?!? I remember the plane didn't climb particularly quickly - I have a video of his takeoff from Wings at one point somewhere - But that seems like a LOT of runway. Wonder if it wasn't developing full power?
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Actually it says it took him 2000 feet to get airborne. The wreckage was located 2800 feet from the departure end of the runway.
 
May he rest in peace. Very sad
 
flyingcheesehead said:
NTSB prelim: http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20130601X50034&key=1

Says it took him 2800 feet to get off the ground?!? I remember the plane didn't climb particularly quickly - I have a video of his takeoff from Wings at one point somewhere - But that seems like a LOT of runway. Wonder if it wasn't developing full power?
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Actually Kent if climbed pretty well. IIRC John lifted off at Wings and flew level over the runway then pulled up and shot up in the air. He got up to Pattern Alt pretty quick. Word from some folks that were there the day of the accident said they didn't think the plane was making full power.

Truly sad. John was such a friendly guy and always willing to talk to you about his plane.
 
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