TSO’d Product Now For Installation In Legacy Type Certificated Aircraft
By Gene Yarbrough
Over 1,500 aircraft in the field already fly with CiES digital fuel quantity systems. CiES fuel quantity systems are included on all Quest Kodiak, Vulcanair P68, Gippsland GA10, CAIGA and others with many more to be added in the coming months.
Early this year, CiES contacted the FAA Small AIrcraft Directorate and illustrated to them how CiES could replace failing and legacy fuel quantity indication as a retrofit program. The company says it demonstrated that its success in OEM applications required the CiES digital fuel sender to be a fit form and function replacement for existing fuel senders, and this requirement facilitated a relatively easy integration to legacy aircraft.
"For years, pilots of type certificated aircraft have suffered with marginal fuel quantity information, many don’t trust or rely on this FAA required instrumentation, and they have asked us for a method to install a more accurate and reliable fuel quantity system in their airplanes," said Scott Philiben, CiES President. "This STC illustrates that a conventional approach to FAA Approval is still a viable method of incorporating changes when safety of flight and regulatory requirements are involved. As we have seen with the re-write of FAR 23, there is a new attitude and working commitment at the FAA, and they are encouraging many efforts to improve the safety of the legacy aircraft fleet.”
The CiES digital fuel quantity system utilizes a high technology sensor system that allows repeatable accurate measurement of fuel in aircraft tank. This high technology and patented sensor system allows fuel measurements down to a change in fuel level to less than 0.03 of an inch. This measurement represents much less than 10ths of a gallon of AVGAS or Jet A. The non-contact measurement method insures a lifetime of operation providing the same consistent fuel level output in the cockpit with modern digital fuel indication.
The initial STC allows the CiES to replace the existing fuel quantity senders in:
- Britten Norman BN2
- Beech 33, 35, 36, 55, 58
- Cessna 170, 172, 177, 177RG, 180, 182, 185, 206, 207
- Cirrus SR20 SR22
- Fairchild 24
- Gippsland GA8
- Maule Mooney Piper PA 23, PA 24, PA 28, PA 30, PA 31, PA 32, PA 39, PA 44
- Vulcanair P68
- Fairchild 24
More aircraft approvals are expected to follow.
"Everybody involved from FAA Small AIrcraft Directorate, Seattle Aircraft Certification , Once and CiES were dedicated to the success of this safety project approval. A perfect example of that collaborative process is the low fuel programmable warning. The Small Aircraft Directorate asked if an annunciation output could be provided for “Low Fuel” as a retrofit. CiES went back to our system design and software and realized if we re-purposed the JET A fuel temperature output - we could give the FAA and flying public a viable and predictable low fuel warning." said Melvin Johnson, FAA Small Aircraft Directorate Manager. "I’m really encouraged that CiES is making the effort in getting an AML STC done. Helping the GA fleet have accurate and dependable fuel indication will definitely have an impact on safety."
The CC284022 Fuel quantity senders have amassed over 350,000 hours of operation in OEM aircraft and have an outstanding record of near zero in service removals with over 15,000 senders fielded. We have the experience to tell you that GA aircraft fuel quantity can and will be accurate in the aircraft of the future, and that same capability is available for your aircraft.
(Image provided by CiES)
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