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Fuel tank STC

Dnh98221

MEMBER
Anacortes, WA
To the collective mind:

I am restoring a PA-14, which has an extended tank in the right wing. Both tanks are the old style soldered type and I want to upgrade to an aluminum version. In the FAA records on one of the 337s it says installed extended tank according to STC SA4-1338 dated 12/15/60. I went to the FAA site, but it is not listed there. Does anyone have any info on this STC. I’m trying to build up a paper case to present to the FSDO.

Thanks,

Dan
 
Maybe consider Atlee Dodge or Dakota tanks? Dunno whether they're STC'd for -14, but probly are, given that they're STC'd for -12.
 
I have no info in regards to the STC but i did own a 180hp PA-14 that had the Atlee tanks. They are STC'd for the -14. My preference would be get the Dakota ones if you can get them (field approved?). I was under the impression during the time i owned the -14 that original or Atlee was the only option for fuel tanks at the time, STC anyway. The Atlee tanks worked fine and I had no issues with them. When I built up my -18 I purposely put the stock 18 gallon tanks in it based on my experience with the Atlee 30 gallon. I only used full capacity (60 gal) a couple times in the 5 years i had with the -14. If you go with Atlee at least get sight gauges, mine were electric causing me to dip the tanks before flight. I had to have 7 gallons in the Atlee tank before it would show up on my dip stick.
 
I know about the Atlee tanks; I don’t really want to go that big. The Dakota STC is for a -12 only. Part of the paper chase is to help defend a field approval for the Dakota tanks. Is there another place besides the FAA where STCs are recorded? Ideally I’d like to use the Dakota 24 gallon tanks, which according to backcountry legend have been put into -14s in the past. So either an extant 337 or, if I can find the text to the STC that I apparently already have to see what my options might be for replacing/repairing them.
 
The old saying, the only time you have too much fuel is when your on fire is so true . Flying Smithers BC to Whitehorse YK in my PA12 required lots of gas. Made several trips to AK on that route. On shorter missions, you don't have to fill them up.
Mike
 
I was for a long time a naysayer on the Atlee 61 gallon tanks until I got my current -12 that Stewart and MCS Mike built. The site gauges are part of the STC, and on mine when down to 20 gallons a side and lower are calibrated great. I however see what 5 gallons look like in the tank, just a sheen, so I added an ECI Fuel Totalizer. I too rarely fill them all the way up unless the mission is a real long flight/trip or ferrying fuel to the cabin. My fuel totalizer is dialed in K factor as I had not filled tanks in 6 months until a couple of weeks ago, and when I did I was only off 1 gallon on the fuel totalizer. I can get nearly 10 hours range, pulling back to 65% power leaned lean of peak, and 6.5 gph. I have made trips Anchorage to Dillingham or Bethel ROUND TRIP and plenty of gas not to worry on return. Or go out of Bettles up to the Kongurut on the Canadian border on the Beaufort Sea, play around and get back to Bettles with no worries, with an alternate to Deadhorse easily doable too. You can ferry a bunch in the tanks, then have liquid containment bags and leave "going to the fuel pumps" fuel in the bags, play around at a lighter weight and then know you pour in what you need to get to the pumps. All depends on your mission, but the ability to long haul with fuel in tanks is huge to me. If you want to get obscene put some bags in the belly pod, all within your weight and balance of course. Properly installed, and conformance checked with the ICW instructions, there are no worries with these tanks being a maintenance problem.
 
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