A380 Useable Fuel Capacity

[Evan]

Are you sure that restriction (no filling of outer tanks) actually applies? I've only had a cursory look, but to me it appears that while for a standard load the wing tanks are not filled (until after takeoff when the transfer takes place), you can fill them on the ground if all the other tanks are already full, which means that the usable fuel is indeed the full amount.

Maybe that is a direction to investigate.

Going by what the engineer stated, I interpret that to mean the outer tanks are fueled, then emptied before take-off by transferring them to the trim tank. So, if you consider the trim tank as only a transfer tank, you are fueling all the main tanks initially, and using the trim tank to redistribute the fuel load.

Deducting the trim tank entirely, I get 300,840 liters, so that's not right. So perhaps the trim tank can be partially fueled, and/or perhaps the outer tanks can be partially filled at take-off (apparently they can be half-filled on landing).

One thing I just noticed: The Flight Deck and Systems Briefing for Pilots lists the outer tank capacity at 10,520 ltrs, while Mr Ogilvie stated that they can hold only 9,524 ltrs. Perhaps the design changed somewhat between 2005 and 2007???

[MCM]

Evan,

The wing tanks can definately contain some fuel on takeoff.

Have you read the flight manual yet?

[Evan]

Evan,

The wing tanks can definately contain some fuel on takeoff.

Have you read the flight manual yet?

No, I don't think it is in the public domain yet. I can't find it anyway. Do you have it? I'm interested to know what the real answer is.