Belly Fuel Tank for a Beaver

ybp · Post by **ybp** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 9:48 pm

Does anyone know if there is such a thing? I know there is a company that makes spray tanks that go on the belly, but is there one for fuel? I looked on Airliners.net for pictures of Beavers with a belly tank, but there were none that I could see.

If so, the company name or contact info would be great!!

Thanks,

cdnpilot77 · Post by **cdnpilot77** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 9:54 pm

I see weight and balance and fuel usage in the POH but I havent seen a Beaver with the belly tank.

DHCdriver · Post by **DHCdriver** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:03 pm

There sure is. I believe there is a beaver over at Bluewater Aviation that has one on, I saw it there a month ago, give them a call i'm sure they will help you out. P.S Bluewater is over in Manitoba. Good Luck.

polar one · Post by **polar one** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:09 pm

Yep there is a 44US gal belly tank. It is shown in some Beaver POH's. I might have some pictures around of one if you want to see a picture PM me with an email address

Lost Lake · Post by **Lost Lake** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:31 pm

Why would you want one?

HS-748 2A · Post by **HS-748 2A** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:37 pm

viewtopic.php?f=25&t=64064

Slats · Post by **Slats** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:30 pm

Yes there is/are belly tanks. There are also wing tip tanks that up your gross to 5300 provided the extra weight is fuel in said tanks. May be more convenient/economical than the belly tank...must be a reason why you see some tip tanks and few if any belly tanks.

Just One · Post by **Just One** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:36 pm

A real advantage to the belly tank is that the refueling is all at the same area... especially handy with aircraft on floats. Tip tanks can be quite a pain, as you have to turn the airplane around at the dock.

J1

polar one · Post by **polar one** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:48 pm

cdn...check your pms.

Can you put the belly tank on with floats? I have never seen that.
The belly tank is far easier and cheaper to install than the wingtips, and it goes into the center tank which I like better. If it can be used on floats, I agree, that would be much nicer for fueling...though the fueling tube burps worse than the rear tank.

cdnpilot77 · Post by **cdnpilot77** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:17 pm

Just One wrote:A real advantage to the belly tank is that the refueling is all at the same area... especially handy with aircraft on floats. Tip tanks can be quite a pain, as you have to turn the airplane around at the dock.

J1

filling the tips on an amphib on land is also a pain, we have a scissor lift for this purpose but some of the smaller fields we have been in have nothing more than a 6' step ladder which doesnt work.

Just One · Post by **Just One** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 5:08 pm

Yes, it is designed to be used when on floats as well as wheels.

Siddley Hawker · Post by **Siddley Hawker** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 6:46 pm

On floats...

...And skis.

I seem to remember the belly tank fed into the center tank, and the tip tanks into the front tank, thus you had to burn off some fuel then transfer.

Edo · Post by **Edo** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:49 pm

The belly tank transfers in the center tank and yes it can be used on floats, there are channels through the tank the flying wires pass through.

Transfer is controlled by a valve that lets air discharging from the vacuum pump pass through a flame trap then into the external tank. As you have to have a wet vacuum pump for this. A a dry vacuum pump wouldn't work on the install I saw.

The filler neck is sloped enough that I always wondered if ram air would transfer the fuel, if you left the cap off. Never tried it, it would have been too much of a pain to burn the center down, land take the cap off, then land again once the center filled. Capacity was 38 IMP if I recall.

polar one · Post by **polar one** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 1:34 pm

that picture on floats was great. first one I have ever seen.

Siddley Hawker · Post by **Siddley Hawker** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 2:03 pm

Most all the Wheeler Beavers had either belly tanks - GCX, OUQ, HGU, OCG - or tip tanks - JZL, JPX. The extra fuel came in handy out of Frobisher, Fort Chimo and Goose.

sarg · Post by **sarg** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 9:59 am

Flew one on floats and it work fine. There was about a 5 mph cruise penalty though, something that you don't have with the tip tanks. The other potential problem is if your vaccuum pump fails you cann't transfer the fuel.

flyingwithpecos · Post by **flyingwithpecos** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 10:31 am

One fuel stop with Belly tank.... 100 Mile House BC to Ontario border. Sealand in YBL did the rebuild.

TeePeeCreeper · Post by **TeePeeCreeper** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 11:53 am

^
Very nice looking bird, great paint scheme!

Siddley Hawker · Post by **Siddley Hawker** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 2:25 pm

Very nice looking bird, great paint scheme!

Agreed, but the engine looks gay as a summer breeze.

Beaver Driver · Post by **Beaver Driver** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 5:18 pm

Siddley Hawker wrote:
Very nice looking bird, great paint scheme!
Agreed, but the engine looks gay as a summer breeze.

Ha ha ha.

You can get the engines painted any colour you want now. I just took my engine in, and the guy was wanting to know what colour I wanted. He look at my wife and said he could even do purple if she wanted...I went with grey.

flyingwithpecos · Post by **flyingwithpecos** » Tue Feb 01, 2011 9:33 am

This Beaver has an engine extension, Sealand tip tanks, belly tank as shown in the above picture, Alaska door, new floats, extended baggage behind Alaska door... and yes a glass cockpit. 3300 pounds empty/5000 hours total time.

Blue Side Down · Post by **Blue Side Down** » Tue Feb 01, 2011 7:04 pm

Did they remember to put oil in it before putting it back in the water?

If so, where is it all?? Surely it couldn't be keeping to itself in the oil tank!

Very, very classy machine

Belly Fuel Tank for a Beaver

Belly Fuel Tank for a Beaver

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