Warbird Information Exchange

How much does the splashing gas in a tank effect the flying characteristics of an airplane? I was just thinking when a plane banks lets say to the left all the gas in the tanks will run to one side. Was wondering if this was a factor in flying?

In a turn the fuel shouldn't move laterally assuming you made a coorinated turn. If you are slipping or skidding around the turn then the fuel will move. Most fuel tanks are small enough that even if the fuel does move it will not adversely effect flight characteristics. Tanks that are large (laterally long) enough have a baffle system which prevents fuel from moving quickly and in large quantities.

Cool, thanks!

The "wet wing" aircraft use the ribs as baffles, the Boeing 767s that I work on have little one way flappers on some of the ribs that allow the fuel to flow inboard but not out board. The BT-13 I restored also has a similar flapper set-up.