What is the maximum fuel imbalance allowed between fuel tanks?

What is the maximum fuel imbalance allowed between fuel tanks?

• A. 200
• B. 400
• C. 600
• D. 100

Answer: (B)

Fuel imbalance is the allowable difference between the amounts of fuel in the two tanks. Keeping this difference within a specified limit is important because a large left–right imbalance creates a yaw moment that can affect controllability, especially if one engine loses power and you’re relying on the other. The limit is set to ensure you can still maintain stable flight and safe engine operation. For this scenario, the maximum permitted imbalance is 400 pounds. That means at any point in flight, the difference between the fuel quantity in the left and right tanks should not exceed 400 pounds. If the difference grows beyond that, you’d need to transfer fuel between tanks or adjust the flight plan to bring the imbalance back within the limit. To visualize, if the left tank has 1800 pounds and the right has 1400 pounds, the imbalance is 400 pounds—within limits. If the left were 2000 pounds while the right remains 1400, the imbalance would be 600 pounds, which would exceed the limit and require corrective action.

Fuel imbalance is the allowable difference between the amounts of fuel in the two tanks. Keeping this difference within a specified limit is important because a large left–right imbalance creates a yaw moment that can affect controllability, especially if one engine loses power and you’re relying on the other. The limit is set to ensure you can still maintain stable flight and safe engine operation.

For this scenario, the maximum permitted imbalance is 400 pounds. That means at any point in flight, the difference between the fuel quantity in the left and right tanks should not exceed 400 pounds. If the difference grows beyond that, you’d need to transfer fuel between tanks or adjust the flight plan to bring the imbalance back within the limit.

To visualize, if the left tank has 1800 pounds and the right has 1400 pounds, the imbalance is 400 pounds—within limits. If the left were 2000 pounds while the right remains 1400, the imbalance would be 600 pounds, which would exceed the limit and require corrective action.