Captain sim c-130 HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Brock Baughman]

Does anyone know how to use the external tanks i open the valves and turn on the pumps but nothing happens... any help will be appreciated Thanks

[Josh Webb]

Hey Brock, here's what I've just done (wanted to make sure I was actually sucking fuel from the externals. I ran it at full throttle on the ground with the parking brake on and upped the speed to 128X, fuel is definitely moving only out of my external.)

I turn off the boost pumps for all 4 mains, and the 2 auxilliary tanks. Leave both Fwd and Aft boost pumps on for the externals (keep in mind the external tanks are located closest to the center of the fuel panel, opposite of what I'm used to.) Leave the crossfeed valve in the center closed to keep the left and right sides separated. I closed the cross feed valves for the Auxilliary tanks (this isn't necessary, just another check to make sure that they're not siphoning fuel to the engines.) You have to leave the cross feed valves open for Eng 1, 2, 3, and 4. Now at this point you're running fuel only out of the external tanks. You can verify this by turning off the 2 fuel pumps for the external tank on that side...you'll get Low Pressure lights in your fuel system, and your engines will quit spinning.

So in short, all you have to do to use the external tanks inflight, while also using your other tanks, is make sure the 2 fuel pumps are on for each external, and make sure the cross feed valve directly under that is open. Then make sure the crossfeed valves for each engine is open so that it'll accept fuel from all other operating fuel tanks.

Here's a screenshot of low fuel pressure on left side due to Fwd and Aft pumps on the left external tank being off, and used fuel on the right side. I have one pump off, was just checking to see if it would run that way, I believe the tank won't completely empty in real life without both pumps running.




Hope that helps.

[Michael Biehn]

Very nice. (The trick is to be able to do this kind of analysis in the middle of an airborne emergency, say a fuel-pump failure, or an electrical failure affecting multiple pumps and/or x-fd valves...)

I just bought this (the retail, boxed version from "Just Flight" - I believe it's the same product); can't wait to dig in.

[Josh Webb]

Yeah it is the same thing Michael. That's the same thing I've got. It's quite enjoyable being able to operate and learn all the systems. Makes you definitely feel more at one with the aircraft. It brings me back to my crew chief days. I sometimes find myself wanting to transfer fuel between tanks and pretend I'm refueling! I haven't found a very good way to transfer fuel between tanks in this aircraft though. I'm not sure if it's a limitation of the simulation, or if that's how the real world aircraft is. On B-52's we could transfer fuel anywhere we wanted, it was always weird to feel the plane rock to one side as it got heavier.

(07-02-2009 06:50 PM)Michael Biehn Wrote:  Very nice. (The trick is to be able to do this kind of analysis in the middle of an airborne emergency, say a fuel-pump failure, or an electrical failure affecting multiple pumps and/or x-fd valves...)

I just bought this (the retail, boxed version from "Just Flight" - I believe it's the same product); can't wait to dig in.

[Michael Biehn]

I agree - fuel transfer is something you'd expect in an acft of this type (wi this range). Selective feed is most often a viable second choice though...'just requires more planning ahead.

It's foreign to me as a former TACAIR pilot, but I would think for the C-130, that maneuvering large loads within the cargo bay, and then dropping them in-flight, would be problematic WRT weight&balance without the ability to rapidly transfer fuel to compensate. Then again, I don't really have a feel for the moments of the various tanks and their effect on CG as they feed & empty. Perhaps there's not really that much compensation to be had...

"Ah, pilot to crew; would everybody please immediately run to the back of the airplane? And take your boxed lunches with you..."