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Post by montanapilot on Jul 12, 2019 14:42:00 GMT
Thanks for your post, Cluemeister. It looks like I'm a lousy fuel flow indicator salesman, so I'll keep my day job. I think that meeting with some of the Tecnam folks at Oshkosh will be helful in moving things forward, but I am going to bring my arrow-proof vest.
I look forward to meeting everybody at OSH!
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danal
New Member
Posts: 44
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Post by danal on Jul 14, 2019 2:52:15 GMT
I'm certainly in.
I'm also willing to be the guinea pig. Add to that: I am an LSRM, and can therefore do the install myself on my plane as we pioneer this. Also, anyone who is willing to come to the DFW area, I can install in your airplane, price TBD after I install mine.
So, if it carries any weight at all with the factory, tell them you've got several people interested and an installer lined up.
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Post by ChiMike on Jul 14, 2019 11:57:13 GMT
I’m all for anything that will make me safer—and my fuel burn seems to be edging up. How does this work and what exactly will it do?
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Post by montanapilot on Jul 14, 2019 14:35:27 GMT
Thanks so much for that, Danal. I'll be speaking with several people at OSH about this and I think we're going to be able to move it forward. Could you e-mail me your cell number? I'll give you a call when we get there and set up a time to discuss what we're doing. We'll also be speaking with some Tecnam folks, and it would be great if you could be part of that. I get in Sunday and leave Thursday. My e-mail is pittspilot1@gmail.com.
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Post by montanapilot on Jul 14, 2019 15:08:00 GMT
ChiMIke- Prior to startup, you'll have some options: 1. If you didn't add any fuel since last flight, it will show fuel remaining in the tanks. 2. If you added fuel, you tell the system how much you added 3. If you filled the tanks, you press a button that says "full". Once the engine is started, it will display fuel flow, fuel remaining, and although I haven't seen this particular system, it will likely show range from current position given your then current fuel burn. Re "range", you program the system with whatever reserve you want and it will display range to reserve. I believe that it will also display a "range ring" on the map page. It likely has some other functionalities such as low fuel warning, etc., but those are the basics. There is no input from fuel sensors in the fuel tanks which, as we all know, are not the most reliable instruments. When it's first installed, you fill the tanks and press "full". From then on, it knows exactly how much fuel you have, given your inputs. The installation involves 2 transducers. One is in the fuel line to the engine. The other is in the fuel return line. The system subtracts the second from the first to give you an exact fuel burn.
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danal
New Member
Posts: 44
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Post by danal on Jul 14, 2019 21:57:18 GMT
Thanks so much for that, Danal. I'll be speaking with several people at OSH about this and I think we're going to be able to move it forward. Could you e-mail me your cell number? I'll give you a call when we get there and set up a time to discuss what we're doing. We'll also be speaking with some Tecnam folks, and it would be great if you could be part of that. I get in Sunday and leave Thursday. My e-mail is pittspilot1@gmail.com. Unfortunately, I won't be at Osh this year... For your other request: I am Airea Coding 214 and next 3 are 293 and the last handful are 5318 (breaking up the formatting and no standard keywords prevents robots from finding it). I am also "Danal (dot) Estes (at) Gmail (dot) com" and/or "service (at) desquaredaviation (dot) com". And... I rarely answer completely unknown calls, so txt first. Anyone with any Tecnam is welcome to reach out at any time. Questions or just to chat. Like I said, txt first. I own an Astore, I have worked on Sierras, and I've seen a few other Tecnam aircraft. I am also Rotax line maint cert, and have worked on a ton of them. And Jabiru cert, if any one has one of those (I have a Jab 3300 in my CH750). Danal
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Post by ChiMike on Jul 16, 2019 1:01:09 GMT
MP—thank you for the explanation. I am interested in this feature. I have a similar capability on my GTN650 that calculates burn and probable remaining data based on inputs, but does not actually measure tank quantity.
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Post by montanapilot on Jul 16, 2019 1:35:47 GMT
You're on the list, ChiMike. There are 4 of us now.
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Post by montanapilot on Jul 28, 2019 19:19:06 GMT
I just found another reason to add fuel flow. I returned from a cross country flight on Friday. If you touch the engine display on the G3X's PFD, it shows gallons remaining in each tank. I was interested to see how accurate they are. Before I shut down at my destination, I checked the numbers, and the G3X showed that I had 13 gallons remaining - 7 in one tank and 6 in the other. According to the owner's manual, the Astore's fuel capacity is 14.4 gallons per side, for a total of 28.8 gallons. So, I should have taken 28.8 - 13 = 15.8 gallons. Instead, it took 19 gallons even. That's a difference of over 10% of capacity or 17% of the actual fuel burn (19 - 15.8 = 3.2 ÷ 19 = 16.8%), not acceptable for me. If the error would have been to show that I had less fuel than I really did, that would be one thing, although still not acceptable. However, the fact that the gauge showed that I had more fuel than I actually had was problematic.
On a different note, we just returned from Oshkosh. The clear highlight of the trip was meeting 2 of our members in person and meeting Mark Gregor in person. Charlie Timberg and Kevin Whitehead (all the way from Australia) were there, and Kathy and I got to spend time with them and their significant others. They are 2 great guys, and meeting them was thoroughly enjoyable.
I'd spoken with Mark Gregor at least a couple of dozen times since I bought my airplane, since it became quite clear early on that he is the Tecnam guru. Most of all, he's been so gracious and generous with his time. It was a huge pleasure to meet him in person and not surprising, I learned several new things from him. We are way lucky to have Mark in our Tecnam world.
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Post by MarkGregor on Aug 11, 2019 23:08:01 GMT
Thanks for the Kind words Montanapilot! Was great to finally put a face with the name!
Mark G
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banker
New Member
Posts: 14
Home Airport: KSRQ
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Post by banker on Oct 14, 2019 19:37:09 GMT
Hi. I realize that I am late to this, but do have an interest in adding fuel flow to my P2008. Has there been any movement since the last update?
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Post by montanapilot on Oct 15, 2019 2:06:34 GMT
My request fo the fuel flow transducer LOA had been sitting on the chief engineer's desk for 3 weeks the last time I checked. It's now been 6 months since I started this project and we've given them everything they've asked for and more. Since winter's come to Montana and I won't be making any cross countries for a few months, I haven't made my weekly, wasted call to Tecnam. However, I'll give Josh a call tomorrow to find out what's doing. The answer is likely to be "nothing", since Josh would have advised me had the LOA been approved. It seems to me that the Tecnam factory is focused on priority projects and that they couldn't care less about supporting their LSAs. If Tecnam (the factory, not Tecnam US) is not the worst company I've ever dealt with as far as customer service is concerned, they're in the top 3. They are abysmal.
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Post by cole505 on Oct 15, 2019 3:51:46 GMT
Hi Montana Pilot,
Yes, it did not take you long to figure out How Tecnam treats there customers I think they think we are enemy...... They sell these beautiful airplanes and find every excuse Not to assist us! U.S. Tecnam is a different story....... Mark is what makes Tecnam a really nice airplane to own ....... he gets just as frustrated if not more than we do! Godspeed .... to you on your fuel flow install✈️😎✅😊👍🏻🇺🇸
Ray & Lucy 🇺🇸👍🏻😊✅😎✈️
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Post by Glenn on Oct 15, 2019 14:01:49 GMT
Is it all Italians or just Tecnam? If I bought a Ferrari and got this level of customer service, I'd go back to Chevys and Fords!!
Glenn
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Post by montanapilot on Oct 15, 2019 14:35:38 GMT
I contacted Josh at Tecnam US this morning, and, big surprise, my LOA request is still sitting on Fabio's (chief engineer?) desk. It's actually a month now. Josh has repeatedly sent reminders to no avail.
Re Ray and Lucy's comment, which is right on, if Tecnam US dealt with their customers like the factory does, I'd sell my airplane in a minute. We are very lucky that we have Mark out in the field and Josh at Tecnam US. The problems at Tecnam US were almost as bad until he arrived on the scene.
See my note re the windshield cracks that discusses a bit more directly the reprehensible way that the factory treats their customers. In the case of the windshield, it's a matter of safety, not just preference.
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