Low fuel - slips and skids

[Ed Cesnalis]

I just had an epihiny when Buckaroo corrected me when I said fuel flows to the trailing wing.

Rule is still true, if you can see fuel so can your engine which might mean you have to crab (skid) your approach.

I have found that when very low fuel I still needed to make left and right turns so I'm better off now understanding this:

• fuel drains towards low wing in a slip
• fuel drains towards leading / outside wing in a skid

With this knowledge its easier to keep that last 3 gallons against the wing root.

[Anticept]

You could be upside down on mars, and the fuel will still follow whoever the ball is. If you're low on fuel, keep an eye on the inclinometer in any uncoordinated maneuver you do.

The biggest thing, in my opinion, that really should be stressed to anyone flying any airplane, is forward slipping to a landing should be done with utmost care. If you don't have fuel in a wing, you better not forward slip in a manner that causes the fuel to flow away from the port in the other wing (unporting).

I'm guilty of not checking this myself.