Fuel for Thought
You pull up to the gas pump and shut down after a three-hour flight on a CAVU day. Nature is calling and you briskly walk to the line shack for the toilet. You turn the knob and find it locked. You can see the John through the window. The sign on the door says “Gone Flying!” You look around and head to an oak tree behind the line shack where you regain your composure. Walking back to the plane you wonder how long it will be before you can get fuel? Looking the system over you realize it is self-serve. You have never pumped your own gas before, but figure it can’t be too hard.
Self-serve fuel systems are becoming commonplace at many airports today. They represent a new trend in the market place. They offer 24-hour convenience for the consumer and operating cost reductions for the owner operator by replacing traditional trucks and storage tanks. Most of the new above ground fuel tanks are made to be environmentally friendly, by providing secondary containment for fuel, should a rupture or leak occur within the primary fuel vessel.
The operating system for fuel delivery is usually similar across the board. You have a console with a prompting computer screen where you swipe a credit card, choose a dollar or gallon amount, enter your “N” number and begin pumping. What may be different will be how the fuel flow is started, how you rewind the hose, how the nozzle works and how fast the fuel flow is.
Some pumps will automatically turn on and allow you to pump fuel and time out with inactivity. Others may prompt you to turn on a switch to begin fueling after the pump is running. The switch allows you to turn off the system manually, should you fill the aircraft before reaching the value selected. Some pumps have a “Fill It Up” option, but many have been disabled for fear of continuous fuel flow should a hose rupture.
Aviation fuel nozzles don’t have automatic fuel shut offs, so be prepared to stop fuel flow as it nears the top of the tank. Aviation fuel nozzles are required to have a “Dead Man” feature, which means the fuel flow must stop completely when the lever on the nozzle is released. They cannot have mechanical blocks to keep the nozzle open. This safety feature prevents unmonitored fuel from flowing, should the operator become incapacitated. You may also find some systems will have a higher fuel flow rate than others, so be careful!
Hose reels may have power rewinds and others may have spring rewinds. The latter requires you to pull the hose out to a point where a ratchet and pawl engages preventing hose rewind. When it is time to rewind you pull it out a little more to release the ratchet pawl and rewinding begins. Be careful though, some spring reels are very powerful and can pull the hose right out of your hand. Never allow the hose nozzle to drag across the ground. It can damage the nozzle and the nozzle tip can become contaminated with debris, so walk it back to the reel stop.
Perhaps the biggest concern with pumping your own gas is fueling safety and selecting the correct fuel for the aircraft. Make sure, make sure, and make sure you are pumping the correct fuel into your aircraft. Remember 80-87 is RED, 100LL is BLUE and JET-A is CLEAR TO STRAW IN COLOR. Most line service personnel who vend fuel receive training in line service safety. Pilots usually do not receive training in servicing their own aircraft. With the growing popularity of self-serve systems you need to be alert and choose the correct fuel for your aircraft.
When you first pull up to the pump take a moment to familiarize yourself with the layout of the pump system and remember that smoking is not permitted within 50 ft of a fueling operation. Note the position of fire extinguishers. Most facilities will have two extinguishers. One located next to the pump another located away from the tank. Look for the Emergency Shut-offs. There should be two. One located next to the pump another away from the pump. Locate the bonding cable and reel. Static electricity is a prime concern when fueling. Attach the bonding cable to bare metal on the aircraft. It will not work on painted surfaces. Bonding allows the aircraft and fuel system to balance the electrical charge between tank and aircraft, thereby reducing the likelihood of an electrical discharge between fuel nozzle and aircraft, which could ignite fuel vapors. Bonding also balances static generation caused by the fuel flowing through the hose. Common sense will tell you to be careful using ladders for high wing aircraft, but caution must really be exercised on frozen winter surfaces.
Some Do’s and Don’ts. Do touch the fuel nozzle tip to bare metal on the aircraft before fueling to dissipate static charge. Do check the inside of the fuel nozzle tip for debris like snow, ice or gravel. Do clean loose debris like snow and ice away from the fuel cap before opening to prevent contaminant from entering the tank.
Don’t insert the nozzle all the way into the fuel tank and make contact with tank walls. This can damage the tank. Don’t rest the nozzle on tank fuel tabs. They were installed to show a fuel quantity in the tank and not designed to support a fuel nozzle! Don’t use electrical devices like cell phones while fueling. They are an ignition source for fuel fumes. Serving yourself is not really hard; it just takes a little getting use to. Use common sense and think safety before, during and after fueling. If you are not sure about something solicit help from the FBO. Once you have tried it you won’t have to wait for the guy who has “GONE FLYING” on a CAVU day!
By James Cowley