The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Here are a couple of questions for all the flyers out there.

I was shown an email (doing the rounds our way) today and got speculating with a few buddies over a couple of things I noted. I am not sure we have got to the bottom of it yet, so thought I would ask the experts here.

The email was about the inventive use of disused aviation drop tanks to make shallow canoes. Marvelling at the ingenuity of people, I also noted that a close up picture of one original tank showed a compliance plate indicating the capacity of the tank in gallons and not pounds. It also indicated that the tank could be used for 'Aromatic' fuels. The tanks are very old, perhaps 35-40 years. Both of these items took my eye immediately.

So, here are the questions for pilots or ground crews out there;

Does anyone know why the size of an aviation drop tank is measured in capacity (gallons) and not weight (pounds)?

Does anyone know what aromatic fuels might be?

If you know the answers or can add value to the list we have complied today, I would be very interested to read your comments and grateful for your input.

Cheers

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Jim

"You have Control".

The drop tanks are most likely from the WWII era (40's/50's) with the "aromatic" fuel reference. In general terms, gallons per hour is used for piston engines, pounds per hour is used for turbines/jets. Late 40's/ealy 50's is when the switch started to occur with fuel burn calculations.

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