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CTR TANK FEEDING

System study · Fuel

Center Tank, Wing Tanks & Cross-Feed

Three tanks, a priority order for which one feeds the engines first, and a cross-feed valve that lets either engine draw from either side. Click through the diagram, then quiz yourself below.

Tanks & feed paths click a component

Simplified — not for operational use. Click a tank, pump, or the cross-feed valve.
LEFT WING TANK FEEDS ENGINE 1 RIGHT WING TANK FEEDS ENGINE 2 CENTER TANK FEEDS FIRST WING TANK PUMPS CENTER TANK PUMPS WING TANK PUMPS X-FEED VALVE ENGINE 1 ENGINE 2
Click any component above to see what it does →

Cross-feed — sharing fuel across the aircraft

MANUAL VALVE
NORMALLY CLOSED

The cross-feed valve connects the left and right fuel feed lines, letting either engine draw fuel from either wing tank. It's normally closed, keeping each engine on its own side, but crews open it deliberately for scenarios like an engine-out ferry flight, single-engine taxi, or to correct a fuel imbalance between wings.

Quick reference

CENTER TANK

  • Feeds first, before wing tanks are used
  • Emptied early to keep wing loading favorable
  • Not present or used on shorter sectors if not filled

WING TANKS

  • One per side, each normally feeding its own engine
  • Used after the center tank is exhausted
  • Gravity feed exists as a backup if pumps fail

CROSS-FEED

  • Connects left and right feed lines
  • Normally closed to keep each side independent
  • Opened manually for imbalance correction or one-engine-out scenarios

Check yourself

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