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Author Topic: 980 Fuel Bladders  (Read 4092 times)

donv

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980 Fuel Bladders
« on: June 22, 2022, 07:13:46 pm »
Well, at the end of my annual, one was leaking... Aero Air said they could get it repaired, but it is original to the airplane (over 40 years old), so I decided to spend the extra money and get a new one.

Who knows, maybe I will get my missing fuel capacity back!

schrambow

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Re: 980 Fuel Bladders
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2022, 09:12:00 am »
many of our 840 fuel bladders where original (1981) and we have had major headaches with them leaking.  We ordered all of the left side and the lead times were bad.  We started this process back in February and are still working on it here in late June.  Frustrating as hell, but can't do anything about it. We are close now though, but moral of the story here, order your tanks as far ahead of time as you possibly can!


donv

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Re: 980 Fuel Bladders
« Reply #2 on: June 23, 2022, 11:34:24 am »
Interestingly, Aero Air thought that getting a new bladder wouldn't be a huge deal-- they said 3-4 weeks. Probably because you ordered some and they made a few extras!

Bruce Byerly

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Re: 980 Fuel Bladders
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2022, 12:28:34 am »
I hate to say it but I have recently had a 1000 at another service center and via a calamity of errors and lead times it took 8 months to get tanks perfected. Fix one and another one goes etc. I have a full ship set we plan to invest in overhaul to avoid these lead time issues. Advance ordering is a good idea given supply chain issues. I think it will work itself out but it hasn’t been fun getting many parts for all brands of planes over the last couple of years.

donv

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Re: 980 Fuel Bladders
« Reply #4 on: June 24, 2022, 10:50:09 am »
Bruce, what is an "overhaul" when it comes to fuel bladders?

Aero Air thought mine could be repaired, but given that it is 40 years old (and they thought there was a possibility of introducing new leaks in the process of removing and reinstalling it), does it make sense to overhaul it instead of new?

Bruce Byerly

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Re: 980 Fuel Bladders
« Reply #5 on: June 24, 2022, 11:37:15 am »
Overhaul is new but using the old rings.  That’s probably what they are doing for you.  I wouldn’t patch a tank unless it’s an emergency I.e. can’t get a new, nice used,  or “overhaul”

donv

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Re: 980 Fuel Bladders
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2022, 12:19:47 pm »
So it turns out they are going to get it patched, because "new" and "overhauled" are not options. The good news is it will be done much more quickly.

donv

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Re: 980 Fuel Bladders
« Reply #7 on: July 06, 2022, 01:57:44 pm »
Well, I am back in the market for a new bladder-- the guys they sent it to said they couldn't repair it. So we'll see how long it takes.

Bruce Byerly

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Re: 980 Fuel Bladders
« Reply #8 on: July 06, 2022, 02:33:45 pm »
Well, I am back in the market for a new bladder-- the guys they sent it to said they couldn't repair it. So we'll see how long it takes.

Oh boy! I have a full set of good used ones, the problem is they are still in a plane and I need some careful hands for a couple of days.

donv

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Re: 980 Fuel Bladders
« Reply #9 on: July 06, 2022, 02:37:53 pm »
Bruce, who are you having "overhaul" fuel bladders?

Adam Frisch

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Re: 980 Fuel Bladders
« Reply #10 on: July 06, 2022, 07:31:03 pm »
A crazy thought - has there ever been talk about doing a hard tank mod as an STC? De-riveting the top of the wing and popping in glassfibre/carbon hard tanks that will never leak?
Slumming it in the turboprop world - so you don't have to.

donv

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Re: 980 Fuel Bladders
« Reply #11 on: July 06, 2022, 09:14:35 pm »
I don't think there is a tank design that doesn't leak. That was basically the idea behind the wet wing, and after 40+ years, they leak.

A crazy thought - has there ever been talk about doing a hard tank mod as an STC? De-riveting the top of the wing and popping in glassfibre/carbon hard tanks that will never leak?

grantacparks

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Re: 980 Fuel Bladders
« Reply #12 on: July 11, 2022, 06:13:13 pm »
I've had my 980 for a little over a year, but only flying it since November. 30 hours out of my 150 hour the plane start dumping gas all over the tarmac. Drained the tanks and found that the nipples which connect to the pipes between bladders (not a technical description at all, sorry) were worn and came right off with a little pressure. The inboard was worse, but the outboard was also very worn. I tried to attach photos but couldn't figure out how to do it. I'm assuming it's from over-tightened clamps. The bladders are only four years old so I was pretty surprised to see them go like this.

donv

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Re: 980 Fuel Bladders
« Reply #13 on: July 12, 2022, 11:51:55 am »
What was the solution? Did you have to replace the bladders?

Twin Commander is now saying mid-August for my new bladder.

grantacparks

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Re: 980 Fuel Bladders
« Reply #14 on: July 12, 2022, 03:08:02 pm »
Don -

I'm replacing both. The outboard one looked worn, but the inboard was clear off. Twin was able send one (I forget which) and Eagle Creek had another in stock. Both should arrive tomorrow AM and hopefully everything will be swapped out by tomorrow afternoon. Since I only packed for one night in Rhode Island, I'm looking forward to that....

Grant