ATR 42-500

WEIGHT AND BALANCE MANUAL

03 FUEL

03.01 FUEL TANKS

The fuel is stored in two tanks: one in each cantilever wing box.
Layout and identification of tanks are shown in figure below.

03.01.01 FUEL VOLUME DENSITY AND WEIGHT

All fuel weights are based on a fuel density of 0.785 Kg/l (6.550 lb per US gallon).

03.01.02 FUEL SYSTEMS

The two tanks are separately vented through the surge tanks themselves connected to
the atmosphere. The vent system is designed to prevent the fuel spillage during refuelling
operations. The fuel drawn into the surge tanks will be drawn back into fuel tanks by
suction.

In normal conditions, each engine is supplied from the tank of its own cantilever. It will be
possible, during abnormal conditions, to feed either or both engines from any tank.

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WEIGHT AND BALANCE MANUAL

03.02 REFUELING OF TANKS

Refuelling is accomplished, for both tanks, through a single 2.5 inches refuelling connector
located on right landing gear fairing.

The refuelling pressure shall not exceed 3.5 bars (50 psi). In that condition the fuel flow is about
400 litres per minute (105US gallons per minute).

The refuelling operations are done from the refuelling panel located on the right landing gear
fairing. The aircraft can be refuelled without electrical power supply and without entering in the
flight deck.

03.03 USABLE FUEL

The table below gives, for each tank, the usable fuel. The fuel is stored between the unusable
level and the automatic cut off high level.

Volume Weight H-arm

LOCATION
l US kg lb m in

RH side 2866 757.1 2250 4960.4 12.249 482.242

LH side 2866 757.1 2250 4960.4 12.249 482.242

Total 5732 1517.2 4500 9920.8 12.249 482.242

The figure 12 gives the fuel vector.

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 ATR 42-500
WEIGHT AND BALANCE MANUAL

Fuel Vector (Kilograms)

Figure 12

The H-arm and Y-arm for one tank as function of the quantity are given on the table below.

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 ATR 42-500
WEIGHT AND BALANCE MANUAL

NOTE: An intermediate value will be obtained by linear interpolation

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 ATR 42-500
WEIGHT AND BALANCE MANUAL
03.04 UNUSABLE FUEL

Usable fuel is the amount of fuel remaining in the tanks and lines after a fuel runout test. It can
be divided into two parts, drainable and undrainable fuel.

The table below gives the summary of unusable fuel.

Volume Weight H-arm

Unusable
LOCATION
part
l US kg lb m in

LH tank
2.33 0.615 1.83 4.034 12.460 490.550
RH tank
2.33 0.615 1.83 4.034 12.460 490.550
Drainable LH surge
fuel tank
0.75 0.198 0.59 1.300 12.400 488.188
RH surge
0.75 0.198 0.59 1.300 12.400 488.188
tank

LH tank
9.67 2.555 7.59 16.732 12.460 490.550
RH tank
9.67 2.555 7.59 16.732 12.460 490.550
Undrainable
LH surge
fuel
tank 0.50 0.132 0.39 0.859 12.400 488.188

RH surge 0.50 0.132 0.39 0.859 12.400 488.188

tank
Total unusable fuel 26.50 7.000 20.80 45.850 12.454 490.327

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 ATR 42-500
WEIGHT AND BALANCE MANUAL
03.05 DEFUELING PROCEDURE PRIOR TO WEIGHING

Before weighing, the aircraft must be defueled by suction and drained by the six water drains of
the fuel tanks and the two water drains of the surge tanks. During the aircraft draining, pitch and
roll attitude must be at zero degree. In these conditions, the quantity and location of the fuel
remaining in the aircraft are given in table below.

VOLUME WEIGHT H-arm

LOCATION
l US Kg lb m in
LH tank 9.67 2.555 7.59 16.732 12.460 490.550

RH tank 9.67 2.555 7.59 16.732 12.460 490.550

LH surge tank 0.50 0.132 0.39 0.859 12.400 488.188

RH surge tank 0.50 0.132 0.39 0.859 12.400 488.188

Lines 5.16 1.363 4.05 8.929 12.175 479.329

Total 25.50 6.737 20.01 44.111 12.400 488.189

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