Whups! UPDATED

It turns out the new stick gauge, FUELHAWK C-182/43.5, correlates very nicely with the electronic fuel gauges of the G1000 at 20 gallons indicated and with the self service fuel pump at KVNC.  It is dead on for the 43.5 gallons full tank measure, after adding 23.5 gallons according the fuel pump.  I will keep comparing for a few more different fuel levels before I trust this stick!

Whups!

The original FUELHAWK fuel gauge that came with Niner Niner Five that I have been using for more than a year was the wrong one!  It is for a C-182 with bladder tanks.  I now have the right one, FUELHAWK C-182/43.5.  Good thing that I didn't ever rely solely on the original gauge.  When the original gauge said 39 gallons I had 36 gallons.  When it said 30, I had 20.  When it said 20 I had 8.  When it said 10, I had 2!

Trust me I will be confirming that the new gauge more closely aligns with the electronic fuel gauges and my own estimations of fuel remaining before I have faith in it.

I feel stupid that I have been using the wrong gauge for a year but I feel good about starting to look closely at what information I was being presented, all instruments, all tools, and comparing.  The reason it hasn't matter before.  I like having half full tanks at minimum at all times and so was never close to minimum fuel.  The reason I started looking closely, I am soon off to the Bahamas and fuel planning will be different, and I imagine I will fly will lower fuel levels than I ever have before.

A good pilot is always learning.  Lesson learned?  Validate everything.  Now how do I confirm my tire pressure gauge is accurate . . . .

A good pilot is always learning . . . .

I haven't pinned down who first said that a good pilot is always learning, but you can remove the adjective, good.  There is just no way you don't learn something every time you get into a plane even if you don't intend to.  Click here for interesting blurbs, Great Aviation Quotes, many related to flying and learning.

Learning on the ground is as interesting as learning in the air.  The last thing I learned on the ground, you don't need a beacon for any flight operation, even for IFR NIGHT operations.  Who woulda thunk it.  Exterior lighting needed:

• NAV
• STROBE
• LANDING

Interior lighting needed:

• PFD BEZEL and BACKLIGHTING
• MFD BEZEL and BACKLIGHTING
• SWITCH AND CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL
• STANDBY AIRSPEED
• STANDBY ALTIMETER
• MAGNETIC COMPASS
• ATTITUDE INDICATOR
• COCKPIT FLOOD

For VFR NIGHT operations you need the same exterior lighting but you can lose the PFD and MFD BEZEL lighting.