05-03-2010, 11:17 AM
On my 7x7x7 event leg #8 LGAD-EHWO, approximately 300NM from my destination I calculated not once but over 10 times [to be sure!] that I was going to be cutting it VERY close on fuel. So I cut the mixture back to bare minimums. I'm talking BARE minimums - as her engines sputtered of thirst for fuel and barely ran at 24,000 ft. Luck on my side I had a slight tailwind and low temps at this altitude. Checking every 20 or so NM, I could see that my lean procedures were helping but not exactly assuring an incident free landing. Her fuel burn gauges read a steady 74PPH as we cruised over the alps.
As we got closer to the destination I was checking the fuel gauges (tapping them to assure they were working
checking myAAS for how many lbs. remained and checking the GPS for NM remaining. I decided the best descent was a slow one, but then reconsidered thinking "why not just run it up to the airport and cut the throttles then drift to the strip- this way at least I know I've made it?". Nahh, too risky so back to the slow descent method. Appx 70 NM from destination I started a descent of 1,000ft/min and cut the throttles back. She was descending so I would have to watch the mixtures closely, and indeed there were moments of her engines gasping so I rewarded with more fuel by advancing the mixture controls little by little.
Now approximately 10NM from the destination airport I was leveling off at 2,000 feet and noticed the fuel gauges read "1 gallon" in each tank. Sweating due to the higher temps at this altitude and fear to turn anything on that would use more fuel, I put my ball cap on backwards and cranked the throttles enough to stay level. MyAAS reported an anemic 15 lbs. of fuel remaining, this was calculated in my brain of no more fuel then my dog weighed - not a very comforting thought! Suddenly the airport came into sight! Oh, did I mention that the conditions were IFR and the control tower declined approval for landing - that is until I called back declaring a fuel emergency - that changed their tone!
I did not fly crosswind or base leg, I "dog legged" it in! On short final I put down the gear and added one notch flaps. I felt her lunge back as if saying "why oh why are you slowing me down!" Meanwhile I could not bare to think how much fuel remained in the tanks, but amazingly the engines still idled. Over the runway now, flared and landed perfect. On to the taxiway and headed straight for the fuel box. But before I stopped at the fuel box I *HAD* to check out how much fuel remained - just 3 LBS.!!
Plan accordingly, this could have been a disaster but luck was on my side.
As we got closer to the destination I was checking the fuel gauges (tapping them to assure they were working
checking myAAS for how many lbs. remained and checking the GPS for NM remaining. I decided the best descent was a slow one, but then reconsidered thinking "why not just run it up to the airport and cut the throttles then drift to the strip- this way at least I know I've made it?". Nahh, too risky so back to the slow descent method. Appx 70 NM from destination I started a descent of 1,000ft/min and cut the throttles back. She was descending so I would have to watch the mixtures closely, and indeed there were moments of her engines gasping so I rewarded with more fuel by advancing the mixture controls little by little.Now approximately 10NM from the destination airport I was leveling off at 2,000 feet and noticed the fuel gauges read "1 gallon" in each tank. Sweating due to the higher temps at this altitude and fear to turn anything on that would use more fuel, I put my ball cap on backwards and cranked the throttles enough to stay level. MyAAS reported an anemic 15 lbs. of fuel remaining, this was calculated in my brain of no more fuel then my dog weighed - not a very comforting thought! Suddenly the airport came into sight! Oh, did I mention that the conditions were IFR and the control tower declined approval for landing - that is until I called back declaring a fuel emergency - that changed their tone!
I did not fly crosswind or base leg, I "dog legged" it in! On short final I put down the gear and added one notch flaps. I felt her lunge back as if saying "why oh why are you slowing me down!" Meanwhile I could not bare to think how much fuel remained in the tanks, but amazingly the engines still idled. Over the runway now, flared and landed perfect. On to the taxiway and headed straight for the fuel box. But before I stopped at the fuel box I *HAD* to check out how much fuel remained - just 3 LBS.!!
Plan accordingly, this could have been a disaster but luck was on my side.
