My (bad) luck continues predictably

[ElPaso Pilot]

IMO the most effective measure to prevent a fire when draining an airplane's fuel tanks is providing sufficient ventilation that the fuel vapors cannot accumulate in the area. Grounding the plane is a good idea but it's kinda difficult to ground a plastic container although setting it on a concrete, asphalt, or dirt floor ought to help prevent charge buildup.

Problem solved. Don't buy plastic fuel containers.

 

[azure]

Just catching up with this thread...

Folks, the tanks were 100% drained by Monday night. We used plastic buckets, so no grounding wires, though the hangar door was open and there was a nice breeze to keep fumes from building up.

For reloading, the fuel will be transferred to a gas can outside the hangar, so again in a well ventilated environment with little danger of vapors accumulating.

My only concern is in pouring the fuel back into the tanks, might be a good idea to have a cable going from the can to the tailpipe. Thanks Doug for the reminder.

The plunger assembly is on my mech's doorstep. This is when I always get nervous, since if he decides to go incommunicado again with the precious cargo, there's nothing much I can do. So far though, it sounds like the valve will be fixed by sometime tonight and I can reload the fuel tomorrow morning.

Maybe even shoot some approaches in the afternoon...

 

[Henning]

IMO the most effective measure to prevent a fire when draining an airplane's fuel tanks is providing sufficient ventilation that the fuel vapors cannot accumulate in the area. Grounding the plane is a good idea but it's kinda difficult to ground a plastic container although setting it on a concrete, asphalt, or dirt floor ought to help prevent charge buildup.

IMO the best way to do it is fly the tank dry.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

The plunger assembly is on my mech's doorstep. This is when I always get nervous, since if he decides to go incommunicado again with the precious cargo, there's nothing much I can do. So far though, it sounds like the valve will be fixed by sometime tonight and I can reload the fuel tomorrow morning.

Maybe even shoot some approaches in the afternoon...

Oh-Oh - sounds like you are going to have your ride back in the air before mine! I better get on the stick!

But I did get a flight review in a Taylorcraft yesterday. So it's not all bad.

 

[wsuffa]

Liz,

In the event that you try to drain the fuel yourself, it ain't as simple as some think. It is VERY important to properly ground/bond the plane and the can(s). Also important to have big extinguishers at the ready. JJ at PTK nearly burned his business down within the past year over this exact matter.

Thankfully, PTK has CFR trucks on-field and they were on-scene in ~90 secs. TFD is volunteer, they probably couldn't find VLL T-hangars in < 20 mins.

Problem solved. Don't buy plastic fuel containers.

Exactly. Plastic is a bad idea for avgas. Metal can be grounded. And sealed.

 

[MAKG1]

Exactly. Plastic is a bad idea for avgas. Metal can be grounded. And sealed.

Not with paint on it. Paint doesn't conduct either. Scrape it off and it will conduct and ground just fine, and also will corrode.

And steel parts can MAKE sparks. Aluminum wont, but it fatigues, also not a good thing for fuel storage.

A sealed fuel container is an error unless you want it to develop leaks. It must be vented.

 

[ElPaso Pilot]

Not with paint on it. Paint doesn't conduct either. Scrape it off and it will conduct and ground just fine, and also will corrode.

And steel parts can MAKE sparks. Aluminum wont, but it fatigues, also not a good thing for fuel storage.

A sealed fuel container is an error unless you want it to develop leaks. It must be vented.

For the life of me I can't figure out why so many pilots make so many excuses on why they won't buy or use a safety can (which just happens to be made for the job.)


I bought several of these for the plane years ago. A little scrape of pant off the handle (smear a little grease or oil on it if you're worried about the handle corroding,) a ground wire with a clip on both ends, and the job is done with a properly designed and vented can.

(Well, actually I do know. They cost a few bucks more than a Walmart plastic POS can)

 

[steingar]

If you guys only had any idea of the shenanigans Liz has had to go through to get and keep that 177 in the air, you'd know she wasn't whining. I hope the latest gets ironed out soon. I had a fuel sump dump a whole tank load of gas on the hangar floor. Lucky thing I don't smoke.

 

[somorris]

If you guys only had any idea of the shenanigans Liz has had to go through to get and keep that 177 in the air, you'd know she wasn't whining.

That was my thought also. Liz said she was whining, but in her case, I think it is justified !

 

[azure]

Okay, venting maybe. The mx headaches seem to be part and parcel of owning an airplane... they've just come at the worst possible time in most cases.

Though, there never really is a GOOD time for something to fail. And it has YET to strand me hundreds of miles from home.

 

[denverpilot]

As an aside, my posting of the no-whining photo was a joke. Sorry you've had such a tough time. Honestly. MX issues suck.

 

[Henning]

I hate to say it, but aviation is extremely rough on those not mechanically inclined.

 

[gismo]

Okay, venting maybe. The mx headaches seem to be part and parcel of owning an airplane... they've just come at the worst possible time in most cases.

Mr. Murphy is well acquainted with the trials and tribulations of aircraft operation.

Though, there never really is a GOOD time for something to fail. And it has YET to strand me hundreds of miles from home.

Well then, your concept of the "worst possible time" varies considerably from mine.