Balance Your Fuel

Pia Bergqvist

Monday, May 13, 2013 at 03:26 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Fuel imbalance, separate from fuel quantity, is a critical concern that can negatively impact aircraft handling and potentially cause damage.
Pilots should regularly monitor fuel gauges, ideally every 30 minutes, to ensure fuel levels remain balanced, using reminders or avionics alerts if available.
For aircraft with multiple fuel tanks, manage fuel by switching tanks every 30 minutes and understanding your specific fuel system's operation.
Even aircraft with a "both" fuel selector require monitoring for imbalance; selective fuel burning is acceptable to re-balance tanks before returning to "both" or descending.

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Ensuring that you are carrying enough fuel to complete your planned flight is not the only fuel-related concern that you should keep in mind as you fly. While a fuel imbalance may not cause you to make an emergency landing, it could mean the difference between having a nice smooth touchdown and potentially causing some damage to the airplane.

Check your fuel gauges every 30 minutes or so to make sure the amount of fuel in each tank is relatively even. If you are fortunate enough to fly with technologically advanced avionics, you likely have the option to set an alert or message that will remind you to glance at your fuel gauges. If your avionics don’t have alert capabilities, you may want to set some other type of alarm as a reminder.