Fuel tank use

[cdlab1]

I've read the manual regarding fuel tanks, but I'm still confused to my fuel usage. I always have the main tanks selected (left tank on left main, right tank on right main), but during flight only fuel from the right tank is burned. I do have the latest version installed in P3Dv4. Please let me know if this is a bug or if I missed something in my understanding. Thank you.

[cdlab1]

Now I'm really baffled. Another flight with the same tank settings as before, but this time all the fuel was burned from the aux tanks and none from the main. I love this plane, but I'd like to know how to manage the fuel settings.

[Stew]

Hello! I've found this to be case with fuel consumption and use with the C310--with fuel selectors set to main, only fuel from the mains is used, none from the aux tanks; with selectors set to aux, only fuel from the aux tanks is used and none from the mains. I am led to understand this is not quite the RL situation, but it is the best that can be done given the limitations of the sim. I'm sure Bill can give a more detailed explanation, but that's how fuel consumption has always behaved in my experience.

[cdlab1]

Hello! I've found this to be case with fuel consumption and use with the C310--with fuel selectors set to main, only fuel from the mains is used, none from the aux tanks; with selectors set to aux, only fuel from the aux tanks is used and none from the mains. I am led to understand this is not quite the RL situation, but it is the best that can be done given the limitations of the sim. I'm sure Bill can give a more detailed explanation, but that's how fuel consumption has always behaved in my experience.

Thank you for the reply. I wish that were the case with me, unfortunately my fuel behavior is very unpredictable. I installed the latest version over the previous, and maybe that's causing an issue.

[cdlab1]

I've done a reinstall and still find things confusing, but this much I've learned. The default fuel selector position is on the main tanks, but the plane won't act as if it knows that unless you cycle through the settings first. I've been assuming the plane will act on what the selector is indicated for, but it doesn't seem to read the default state. Once I change the selector position to another mode, I can then switch back to the mains for it to work.

[N4GIX]

Actually, the fuel selectors will be OFF if you have selected "Cold and Dark", and on Mains if you have selected "Ready to Fly". At least that is how the logic on loading is coded.

[raymie1028]

I have "Cold and Dark" selected for the Redux version of the 310R. When the C310R Redux loads, the fuel selectors are in the "Off" position, but the engines are still running and all of the aircraft systems are up and running. It is not a "Cold and Dark" cockpit. If I left mouse click on each of the fuel selectors, then the engines shut down (levers still remain in the Off position). Once I shut off all of the avionics and electrical systems, then I have a Cold and Dark cockpit to start from. I am running P3D v. 3.4xx in Win 10.

PS: I still have the original C310R and the Cold and Dark cockpit setting works fine with it. I am running the MVAMS as Administrator

[N4GIX]

That is really strange. Especially given the extensive settings being made during initialization. Note particularly the last K:Event issued as a "fail safe" (>K:ENGINE_AUTO_SHUTDOWN):

Code: Select all

    <!-- COLD AND DARK -->
    (L:C310_ColdDark, bool) (L:FirstLoad,bool) ! and (A:SIM ON GROUND,bool) and
    if{
    1 (>K:PARKING_BRAKES,bool)
    1 (>L:C310_Pilot,bool)
    0 (>L:C310_Chocks,bool)
    0 (>L:C310_Covers,bool)
    0 (>L:SwitchLL,enum)
    (A:LIGHT TAXI,bool) if{ (>K:TOGGLE_TAXI_LIGHTS) }
    0 (>L:LeftMag_Left, number)
    0 (>L:LeftMag_Right, number)
    0 (>L:RightMag_Left, number)
    0 (>L:RightMag_Right, number)
    0 (>K:MIXTURE1_SET)
    0 (>K:MIXTURE2_SET)
    0 (>K:COWLFLAP1_SET)
    0 (>K:COWLFLAP2_SET)
    (>K:PANEL_LIGHTS_OFF)
    0 (>L:SwitchEngLts, enum)
    0 (>L:SwitchRadioLts, enum)
    0 (>L:SwitchFLTLts, enum)
    0 (>L:SwitchPNLLts, enum)
    (A:LIGHT BEACON,bool) if{ (>K:TOGGLE_BEACON_LIGHTS) }
    (A:LIGHT STROBE,bool) if{ (>K:STROBES_TOGGLE) }
    (A:LIGHT NAV,bool) if{ (>K:TOGGLE_NAV_LIGHTS) }
    (A:AVIONICS MASTER SWITCH,bool) if{ (>K:TOGGLE_AVIONICS_MASTER) }
    (A:ELECTRICAL MASTER BATTERY,bool) if{ (>K:TOGGLE_MASTER_BATTERY) }
    (A:GENERAL ENG MASTER ALTERNATOR:1,bool) if{ (>K:TOGGLE_ALTERNATOR1) }
    (A:GENERAL ENG MASTER ALTERNATOR:2,bool) if{ (>K:TOGGLE_ALTERNATOR2) }
    0 (&gt;K:FUEL_SELECTOR_SET)
    0 (>L:FuelSelectLeft, enum)
    0 (&gt;K:FUEL_SELECTOR_2_SET)
    0 (>L:FuelSelectRight, enum)
    (>K:ENGINE_AUTO_SHUTDOWN)
    1 (>L:FirstLoad,bool)
    }

[N4GIX]

Once I change the selector position to another mode, I can then switch back to the mains for it to work.

This problem has been identified and fixed. It seems that FSX SDK left out two critical 'fuel tank selection variables' in the documentation that when used will resolve this issue of auto tank usage.