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RV-6 ER TANKS

S

scottp1111

Member
Hello Team,

I am looking to see if anyone still builds the wingtip ER tanks for the RV-6. I wanted a set of the Hotel Whiskey tanks in the past but I have seen some pictures of the completed products from 2021 that was a real turn off for me ever since the original owner sold the company. I have reached out to Sky Designs to see if they would be interested in fabricating me what I am looking for and I am awaiting a call back.

I just purchased a full G3X panel combo with GTN-650 from Stien Air that should be ready in April, so I will be tearing the plane down in January which is my target date to have the tanks in hand to install.

If anyone can shed some light onto who I would be best talking with that would be appreciated.

Attached is a link that has me questioning the current provider of these tanks. http://www.strikhedonia.com/hotel-whiskey-er-fuel-tanks/#comment-624

Thanks,

Scott
 
Hotel Whiskey tanks for RV-8

I've got a set of HW tanks with all hardware to fit an 8 in SoCal. They are from before the owner sold out and look really good. Probably too long for the 6, but much easier to cut an end off and have it shortened than to make a new set.

Ed Holyoke
 
Bicyclops said:
I've got a set of HW tanks with all hardware to fit an 8 in SoCal. They are from before the owner sold out and look really good. Probably too long for the 6, but much easier to cut an end off and have it shortened than to make a new set.
Ed Holyoke
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It also depends on what tips you have. The tanks are different between the original Hoerner style or the later rocket style tips.
 
Reply from HW Aviation yesterday

Yes, we are still in business. We have made major changes. We outsourced the welding of the tanks to another vendor. Which was a failed attempt. The welder just shipped them out before we could inspect the quality. So because of that messed we’ve switched over to fully composite tanks. We use a resin system that is well known for its fuel compatibility. We also did a in house testing for over 1 year to test the resin ourselves.

We use a double checked fuel pump to transfer fuel from the aux tank to the main tank.

As far as the switches go, we do not typically provide switches because there are so many different switches that people choose. You will need to control two twelve volt pumps. We have seen this done with both two independent switches as well as a single switch (single pole double throw)

I can send you more info upon request but I’d like to give you the owners number if this would make it easier on you.
 
Very curious now what the new product looks like. I’m over in Europe right now and I looked at a custom set done over here out of resin the guy turned the wingtip into fuel like John Johansson did..
 
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I have a '97 RV-6 with the flat top (ie. Hoerner) wingtips and the HW tanks. What I like about it is that it's gravity feed, so there's no need for any pumps or wiring. Simple.

Welding issues on the more recent product aside, I would recommend them as long as you don't plan to spin the airplane. With the extra weight out on the wingtips, you can imagine how this might affect your spin recovery prospects, especially if you let it become fully developed.

--Ron
 
+1 on the gravity feed. Complete transfer in 10-12 minutes. No wiring, extra weight or electrical issues. 13 years with no issues at all. 4.4 gallons per side makes for a nice IFR/ long XC reserve.
 
n816kc said:
+1 on the gravity feed. Complete transfer in 10-12 minutes. No wiring, extra weight or electrical issues. 13 years with no issues at all. 4.4 gallons per side makes for a nice IFR/ long XC reserve.
Click to expand...

Out of curiosity, how are they plumbed? Do you have another set of manual valves in the cockpit?
 
ronrapp said:
I have a '97 RV-6 with the flat top (ie. Hoerner) wingtips and the HW tanks. What I like about it is that it's gravity feed, so there's no need for any pumps or wiring. Simple.

Welding issues on the more recent product aside, I would recommend them as long as you don't plan to spin the airplane. With the extra weight out on the wingtips, you can imagine how this might affect your spin recovery prospects, especially if you let it become fully developed.

--Ron
Click to expand...

scottp1111 said:
No spins for me in it. X/C machine is what I’m aiming for.
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Good plans, but the spins that kill people in airplanes are predominantly unplanned occurrences.
 
Now the RV is torn down and I still have not solved my ER tank problem. Still trying to figure out what to do. I like the HW concept but just don’t trust what they may ship.
 
rvbuilder2002 said:
Good plans, but the spins that kill people in airplanes are predominantly unplanned occurrences.
Click to expand...

That's true.

It's also true that all spins are not the same. An incipient spin or half turn or full one turn spin is a lot different from a fully developed, stabilized multi-turn spin.

My RV-6 will recover from spins of up to 1/2 turn with the HW tanks empty. I know because i've tested it. I wanted to know what an unplanned spin would be like in this particular aircraft.

I'm not suggesting others go out and do this. I've got a thousand of hours of solo, instructional, and competition aerobatic flight in my logbook, so I'm fairly certain I'd have the proper anti-spin control inputs in place before I was even aware of it, should such an unwanted spin occur.

I did not test beyond 1/2 turn because of the wingtip tanks. As a spin develops, the rotation rate tends to increase, which causes the nose to rise. As I tell students, any wing can be stalled, and any wing that's stalled can be spun. But not any wing that can be stalled or spun can be recovered. I didn't notice much difference between my airplane and RVs I've spun that did not have wingtip fuel tanks installed... but again, that observation is only valid up to 1/2 turn. If I recall correctly, I've spun the RV-4, 6, 7, and 8.

--Ron
 
ronrapp said:
As I tell students, any wing can be stalled, and any wing that's stalled can be spun. But not any wing that can be stalled or spun can be recovered.
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How true. Thats how we lost Art Scholl.

And he had more time doing spins than anyone.

Tim
 
I think I’ve made up my mind to go with two 7.5 gallon tanks behind the rear seats as someone suggested to me in a post above. Seems easier to install and safer
 
scottp1111 said:
I think I’ve made up my mind to go with two 7.5 gallon tanks behind the rear seats as someone suggested to me in a post above. Seems easier to install and safer
Click to expand...
As mentioned somewhere, I did the first installation of the two 7.5 gallon tanks behind the seat a number of years ago. feel free to reach out for comments on the installation.
In my case, I have tested 1 fuel/1 smoke oil, 2 fuel, 2 smoke oil. My fuel selector is the original style offered by Van's decades ago. Each of my tanks are "vented" and I use "non-vented" caps. Since I was working with Marvin ion the specs for these tanks, I paid extra to have additional "bungs" (??) [access ports] on mine such that I could attach a "site tube" to be able to tell how much is in each tank. The tanks as shipped do NOT have those as I recall but it is obviously possible to calibrate a dipstick for such.
 
Dad's RV-10 said:
Fred Stucklen made beautiful bespoke aux tanks by converting the fiberglass wingtips.

Here's a link to some old photos. He did say it was a lot of work.
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Wow, I haven't seen those pictures in a long time! I have these tanks on my RV-7A, had them on an earlier RV-6A, and helped a guy put them on his RV-9A. Long story short, it is a lot of work, but the reward is a 1000 mile range when needed. I only use the tip tanks on flights where I know weather might keep me from landing at my mid point to destination. With 60 gals of fuel on board, running LOP (IO-360-B1B) I can fly from central CT to Florida non-stop (but DEFINATELY need a pee bottle!).
 
Two 7.5 gallon tanks , one vent line, and two non vented caps have been ordered along with a hotel whiskey aviation bung kit, and two faucet pumps. I will be pumping the fuel from each 7.5 gallon tank to the appropriate side after burning at least 8 gallons a side out of each side. Pictures of the entire project to come as it all arrives
 
Fred.Stucklen said:
Wow, I haven't seen those pictures in a long time! I have these tanks on my RV-7A, had them on an earlier RV-6A, and helped a guy put them on his RV-9A. Long story short, it is a lot of work, but the reward is a 1000 mile range when needed. I only use the tip tanks on flights where I know weather might keep me from landing at my mid point to destination. With 60 gals of fuel on board, running LOP (IO-360-B1B) I can fly from central CT to Florida non-stop (but DEFINATELY need a pee bottle!).
Click to expand...
is it 10gal extra per wing-tip?
 
N890GF said:
is it 10gal extra per wing-tip?
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9.5 gals per wingtip.. 42 in the mains, I always figure 60 gals total. I don't use them unless I'm traveling up/down the East coast (I still make 1 stop over the 1000 mile trip). Tip tanks are used to extend the IFR range....
 
Fred.Stucklen said:
9.5 gals per wingtip.. 42 in the mains, I always figure 60 gals total. I don't use them unless I'm traveling up/down the East coast (I still make 1 stop over the 1000 mile trip). Tip tanks are used to extend the IFR range....
Click to expand...
I have a bit of caution to others that have these tip tanks. I bought mine through Vans in the 2002. The tanks were provided from a manufacturer in Australia. I built and fly an RV8A. The problem is the location of the drain in the tanks. My drain is located about 1/3 distance from the tip of the tank. A friend of mine has the same tanks but they are located at the back of the tank. He built a RV8. The problem is that if you have water entering the tip tank it will not drain out the water in my set up. After sitting out side in heavy rain and and due to a faulty tank lid seal water entered the tank and resulted in fuel contamination. When in level flight water entered the main tank from the tip tank and resulted in a rough running engine. Luckily I managed a dead stick landing back at the field. I have since disconnected the tanks and is considering to switch back to the tips that was provided by the kit.
 
I built a set of “mini” LE tanks. These are simply cut down RV-7 tanks using catalog tank ribs and back wall parts from Vans. 4 ribs total (including end ribs) gets me 11 gallons per side. Will install them two ribs out from the standard tanks. Easy build (of the tanks), but cutting into the wing is a cause for concern. Tanks are done, but waiting for next winter for integration.

IMG_20230108_162140681.jpg
 
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