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I'd like to second Ernie's comment on fuel systems. Both the old and new have advantages (having owned both). The new is simpler, and therefore potentially safer. However, the new has a disadvantage that the old system lessened. With the old system, it is easier to determine, with a dipstick, how much fuel is in the airplane, or rather, that there is enough. This is because you have a second fuel cap on each wing for the aux tank. On the new system, the tank can have 40+ gallons in it (for a total of 80 gallons in the aircraft), and it will look dry. On the old, you cold dip the aux tank and the main, and get a better idea of how much fuel is in the airplane.
Which would I prefer? I think the new, but the race is close. Simplicity probably wins out for me, but it was very nice to be able to manage the fuel load (on the ground) more easily with the old. Fill the mains, and not the aux, and you know you have a defined amount of fuel for a lower fuel load. And while flying, the amount of time you got out of the aux tanks before they ran dry provided a confirmation of your fuel burn rate. But those advantages are probably not worth the hassle of switching tanks on each flight, avoided entirely with the new system.
Kevin
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