AIRCAFT

FUEL SYSTEM

FEASIBILTY STUDY
Aircrafts Involved:
 Gravity Feed Fuel System
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk
(Lycoming)

Pressure Feed Fuel System

- Airbus 320
(CFM)
Table of Contents
Cessna 172


Aircraft Descriptive Data
Aircraft Design & Characteristics
Engine Design & Characteristics
Advantage & Disadvantage
Problem

Fuel System Operation
Fuel Tanks
Instrument Panel
Gravity Feed System
Feed Concept
Airbus 320


Aircraft Descriptive Data
Aircraft Design & Characteristics
Powerplant Design & Characteristics
Advantages
Problem

Fuel System Operation
Fuel Tanks
Tanks Usable Capacities
Feed Concept
Fuel Controls
Fuel ECAM Page
The Skyhawk

Cessna 172
 C172 Skyhawk
Aircraft Descriptive Data
Engine:

Lycoming O-320-E2D
150 rated Hp at 2700 rpm

Fuel :

80/87 avgas

Fuel Consumption:

1lbs per kilometer

 This aircraft is a four-seat, single-engine,
high-wing (fixed wing aircraft).

 Introduced in 1956, the 172 is the First

most popular Cessna model, before 182.

 It has moderate speed, and relatively

easy maintenance.
Aircraft Design &
Characteristics
A basic overview of a Cessna 172 :

Capacity - 4 people

Length - 27 feet, 2 inches

Weight - 736 kilograms

Maximum Speed - 141 mph or 228 km/h

Range - 790 miles or 1,272 kilometers

Rate of Climb - 720 feet per minute

 Cessna 172 is made in
aluminum alloy.

 It uses 4 reciprocating
engines.

Top View
 This aircraft is a high-wing (fixed
wing aircraft).

Lateral View

Front View
 The Skyhawk’s rear window is
rectangular.

 It has landing light in the wing, or

two close together in the nose.
 Compared to C182 Skylane which has longer
and has more of a curve dorsal fin. The dorsal fin
on the Skyhawk has a distinct kink in it.

Skylane
 C172
Reciprocating
Engine
(Lycoming O-320-E2D)
Specification

- Cylinder bore 5.125 inches

- Stroke 3.875 inches

- 150 hp (112 kW) at 2700 rpm

Engine Design &
Characteristics
 Made by Lycoming Engines.

 0-320-E2D is a four cylinder, horizontally

opposed used by fixed wing aircrafts.

 This engine produces 150 up to 160

horsepower.
 Oil sump capacity 8 quarts.

Normally-aspirated.

 Direct-drive.

 Air-cooled and carburetor equipped engine.

C172 Advantages
The Cessna 172 has many features that give it an edge
over the other planes. The primary elements that give it
an advantage are:

 Great Visibility
 Two Door entry for easy access
 Flower Flaps that allow short landings
 Conventional Airfoil that does not stall abruptly
 Great Control

 Incredible Stability

 Sturdy attachment of the nose wheel to

the rudder
C172 Disadvantages
 Skyhawk has no record for any of its
aircraft design disadvantage as Cessna 172
the most successful mass produced light
aircraft in history. The first production
models were delivered in 1956 and they are
still in production. As of 2008, more than
43,000 had been built.

 Yes, there are some problems

encountered by pilots but this problems are
not concerned with the design of the aircraft
and not should be categorized as
disadvantage of this particular aircraft.
Some Problems in the
C172 Skyhawk
 Carburetor Icing
Accidents summaries contain many reports of unexplained power
loss. Some of this are attributed to carburetor ice. At the first
indication of carburetor ice (unexplained engine roughness or power
loss).
"A 106-hour Skyhawk pilot reported that the engine began to run
rough and lost power as the airplane climbed through 9,00 feet. She
switched the fuel tanks and move the mixture to full rich, but the
engine continued to lose power. Carburetor heat was not used at that
time. A forced landing was subsequently made in a field."
An examination of the engine revealed no evidence of preexisting
mechanical failure or malfunction. An icing probability chart revealed
that the reported weather conditions in the area were favorable for
the formation of moderate carburetor icing at cruise power.
 The Cessna 172 owner's manual notes that a gradual loss
in rpm and eventual engine roughness may result from the
formation of carburetor ice and prescribes the use or
carburetor heat to clear the ice. The engine may run rougher
as the ice melts and goes through the engine, but it will
smooth out again.

 Fuel starvation
It is when there are still available fuel both tanks but, for
any reason it doesn’t reach the engine.

If starvation occurs, leveling the nose should restore power

within 20 seconds.
 Improper fuel tank selection or
Failure to switch tanks

When the fuel selector valve handle is in the

"BOTH" position in cruising flight, unequal fuel flow
from each tank may occur if the wings are not
maintained exactly level.

Resulting wing heaviness can be alleviated

gradually by turning the selector valve handle to tank
in the "heavy" wing.
C172 Skyhawk
Fuel System
OPERATION
Fuel Tanks

Left Tank

Right Tank
Capacity in each Fuel Tank

21 gallons for standard

21 gal. 21 gal.
Total: 42 gallons
Instrument Panel

Fuel Gage
Carburetor Heat
Control
Engine
Temperature
Gage Fuel Flow
Throttle Indicator

Mixture Control Knob

 Fuel Shot Off
Valve

Fuel Selector
Valve Handle
Gravity Feed Fuel
System This System use only
the force of gravity to
push fuel to the
engine.

The bottom of the

fuel tank is placed in
the both wing, high
enough to provide
adequate pressure.
Feed Concept
 Fuel is supplied to the engine from
two tanks, on in each wing. With the
fuel selector valve on "BOTH".

“BOTH”
Position
 Fuel from each wing tank flows by gravity to
a selector valve. Depending upon the setting
of the selector valve.
Fuel flows through a fuel strainer.
Engine Primer.
Then to Carburetor and
to the engine.
The Airbus

A320
Engine:

Two CFM56-5

Fuel Consumption:

665 gallons per

hour

Fuel :

Jet A1
A commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by
Airbus.

 It was launched in March 1984, first flew on 22

February 1987, and was first delivered in 1988.

This aircraft is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a

conventional tail unit with a single fin and rudder.

 It has a retractable tricycle landing gear and powered

by two wing mounted turbofan engines.

 Airbus A320 is equipped with engines made by CFM

International – one of the leading manufactures of
aircraft power plants.
Aircraft Design &
Characteristics
Compared to other airliners of the same
class, the A320 features a wider single-aisle
cabin of 155.5 inches (3.95 m) outside
diameter, compared to 148 inches (3.8 m) in Top View
the Boeing 737 and 131.6 inches (3.34 m) in
the Boeing 717, and larger overhead bins,
along with fly-by-wire technology.

Front View
 In addition, the
aircraft has a spacious
cargo hold equipped
with large doors to
assist in expedient
loading and unloading
of goods.

The A320 features an

ECAM which gives the
flight crew information
about all the systems of
the aircraft.
Lateral View
 A-320 is a middle-range aircraft. It
complies with a world standards. The
airliner has a fundamentally new
design. A320 complies to all  required
standards to be operated on
international routes.  
 
The main control system of the
aircraft has a set of digital color
displays that allow  pilots to control
easy all navigation info and  check
efficiently  functioning of the aircraft’s
working systems. A-320 is the first
passenger aircraft with electro- remote
control system.
A320 Turbofan
Powerplant
(CFM56-5)
Specification

 Turbofan Engine CFM56-5 rated at

25,000-27,000 lb thrust.

The CFM56 is a two-shaft (or two-spool)

engine, meaning that there are two
rotating shafts, one high-pressure and one
low-pressure. Each is powered by its own
turbine section (the high-pressure and low-
pressure turbines, respectively).
Powerplant Design &
Characteristics
Turbofan CFM56 is designed to power the
short-to-medium range Airbus 320 family, with
thrusts between 25,000 and 27,000  lbs.
Aerodynamic improvements, such as an
updated fan, low-pressure compressor, high-
pressure compressor, and combustor, make this
10-11% more fuel efficient.
 The CFM56 is a high-bypass turbofan engine
with several variants generating a wide range of
thrust.
It is also a two-shaft (or two-spool) engine,
meaning that there are two rotating shafts, one
high-pressure and one low-pressure.
 Each is powered by its own turbine section (the high-
pressure and low-pressure turbines).

 The fan and booster (low pressure compressor)

evolved over the different iterations of engine, as did
the compressor, combustor, and turbine sections.
Airbus 320 Advantages

 The first fully digital fly-by-wire flight control

system in a civil airliner.

 Fully glass cockpit rather than the hybrid

versions found in aircraft such as the A310,
Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 .
 The ECAM concept, which is included in all Airbus aircraft
produced after the A320. This system constantly displays
information concerning the aircraft's engines, as well as other
key systems such as flight controls, pneumatics and
hydraulics, to the pilots on the two LCD displays in the centre
of the flightdeck. ECAM also provides automatic warning of
system failures and displays an electronic checklist to assist in
handling the failure.

 The first narrow body airliner with a significant

amount of the structure made from composites .
Problem in
the A320
Fuel Imbalance
Fuel Tanks
Tanks Usable
Capacities

Outer Tank=691kg / 1523lbs

Total Usable Fuel for
Wing Tanks=12254kg / 27014lbs
Inner Tank=5436kg / 11984lbs
Center Tank=6476kg / 14278lbs Total= 18729kg / 41291lbs
Feed Concept Sequence
Valves
Fuel Controls
Fuel ECAM Page
That’s ALL

Thank You