As we were climbing out after take-off today we had a fairly strong smell of fuel in the cockpit. This went away after about 20 seconds (might have been at the same time as we switched the boost pump off).
We had the same thing happen on the return but not quite as strong this time. Again it seemed to stop when we switched the boost pump off.
Has anyone else had this happened.
We are going to get the shop to check the fuel lines before we fly again.
Simon
has not happened to me since my original post. Nevr found any problems and still do climb out the same way
Any chance it was fuel in your sample cup which tilted and spilled some fuel when the a/c was pitched up, then down?
Doesn’t take much to make a stink.
We have now had all the fuel lines checked and no problems have been found. I did several take-offs over the weekend with no problem.Thinking back we had a problem with my wife’s door on the return flight last week. During the flight from Guernsey to Dinard in France I had noticed that the cabin noise was louder than normal and this was the same on the return flight. Half way across the sea from Dinard to Guernsey I noticed that the bottom pin was not engaged on the passengers door. I reduced speed and we landed with no problems. I am wondering if the reason for the noise on the outward leg was also due to the door not being fully closed.The smell that we experienced was not quite a fuel smell but a very ‘rich’ exhaust smell. I am wondering if the smell had something to do with some of the exhaust fumes entering the cabin via the open door and that the reason they went away at the top of the climb had more to do with levelling off rather than switching off the boost pump. We did not experience any odours later in the flight when using the boost pump.One thing I have learnt from this episode is to re-check the doors just before take-off especially if they have been opened during the power checks.Simon
Thanks to everyone for information about open and partially open doors in flight etc.I don’t think I’ll tell my wife that she didn’t need to hold onto the door handle for 45 minutes.Simon
Simon, Not that I would recommend this, but the SR22 flies very well with the door open. The negative affects are limited to noise, wind, which may beget cold interior temps, if both pins are not set, the door may open in the flare, and the possibility of a loss of a knot or two. Also, if it is raining, I would expect a lot of water to get in.
I have decided that if the entire flight is expected to remain VFR and the problem is not discovered until I’m at altitude, stopping to close the door is not necessary.
I have been unsuccessful in closing the door in flight, but I think someone else said that if you slow the plane down to below 100 knots, it can be done. Anyone?
Marty
Simon: When I had the first annual done on my SR20, the mechanic found a fuel leak from the left fuel container. Further, I was informed by the Cirrus service center (Lincoln Park Aviation) that this leak was somewhat commonplace in this area. If you want to examine the area yourself, remove the cover plate/ access panel under the wing and look with flashlight and mirror for a red stain near tank. Hope this helps!
Good Luck,
Eric Goldfine SR20(1128)N112HW
In reply to:
Simon, Not that I would recommend this, but the SR22 flies very well with the door open. The negative affects are limited to noise, wind, which may beget cold interior temps, if both pins are not set, the door may open in the flare, and the possibility of a loss of a knot or two. Also, if it is raining, I would expect a lot of water to get in.
I have decided that if the entire flight is expected to remain VFR and the problem is not discovered until I’m at altitude, stopping to close the door is not necessary.
I have been unsuccessful in closing the door in flight, but I think someone else said that if you slow the plane down to below 100 knots, it can be done. Anyone?
Marty,
I have one addition to your “negative effects” list: CO. On a flight last year, I was wondering why my Carbon Monoxide detector was beeping periodically during the climb, then noticed that the passenger door wasn’t closed properly. I don’t think the CO level was very high - in fact, I’ve stopped flying with that detector, because it was too sensitive (it beeped so often that I was ignoring it anyway). There’s no doubt that SOME of that CO was getting in, but I’m with you - if it’s a VFR flight, I’ll just point the airvent at my face and continue to my destination.
On that flight, I slowed my SR20 down to 75 knots, but I still could not close that door in flight.
Mike.
Marty, Yes, a strong, burly person, like you, can open and then properly close an SR22 door in flight below 100 knots [at about 90 kts when I watched the burly CFI demonstrate the proper technique - of course this was all for instructional purposes and he did not accidentally fail to secure his door before flight]. Gary
This probably should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway. Many fatal stall spins have resulted from pilots suddenly discovering the door was open after takeoff and trying to do something about it…then and there. Whatever you do, get altitude before fooling with the thing. My personal view is don’t bother with it in the air, but land at the next airport and then close it.
Mike;
Have you replaced your CO detector with a better one? I read a review on AvWeb about a couple and the recommendation was the Senco Model ONE Low-Level CO Monitor.
Do you or anyone else have any experience or comments on this unit or a better one?
Thanks,
Jim
Door closing technique – at least the pilot door – turn off all 4 air vents and the heater air supply, left hand on door handle, right hand above and slightly behind to reach door pull at top of door, face looking piously towards the sky, rotate door handle back to retract pins all the way, pull with both hands simultaneously – voicing “I’ve got it” reassures the pax!
I was surprised at how much air pressure the air vents created. Several attempts failed until invented that trick.
Cheers
Rick
ps. Pax ask where does the air from the vents go when the doors are closed? I dunno?
In reply to:
Have you replaced your CO detector with a better one?
Jim,
Nope, not yet.
Mike.
In reply to:
Pax ask where does the air from the vents go when the doors are closed?
Obviously, it gets redirected out the exhaust pipe, thereby improving overall efficiency by adding thrust. This is similar to what happens when you switch off the landing light – the extra light gets diverted to the upper surface of the wing, where clearly any extra light will make the whole airplane lighter (again, improving overall efficiency).
Or perhaps, that air remains in the cockpit, gradually pressurizing the cabin. The extra pressure must be what makes me want to pee after being airborne for 5 hours. Yeah, that’s the ticket.
Mike.
Mike, you can last 5 hours?? Heck, you must be wandering round in a serious state of dehydration!
Clyde,
You may have stumbled on Mike’s secret for long-duration flight. It’s spelled C-A-T-H-E-T-E-R.
Cheers,
Roger
In reply to:
You may have stumbled on Mike’s secret for long-duration flight. It’s spelled C-A-T-H-E-T-E-R.
Roger,
Close. Actually, my best friend on a long flight is Little John (spelled R-E-L-I-E-F). When I gotta go, I go.
There is one weird interaction though, and it makes the PTT-Flap interaction seem lame. When my friend Little John and I get together, ATC always calls. Hasn’t failed yet. [;)]
Mike.
Mike,
I was always taught “Aviate, Navigate, Urinate, Communicate”
Walt
I would use one of those, but they don’t make a “Big John”. 
Time for a group buy, Mike?
I find the “Little John” works fine for me, but I keep losing the tweezers.
-Mike