HAI/ZAC NOBLE
WORK SAFE By Zac Noble
Fuel for Thought
A preflight fuel sample helps ensure the safety of the aircraft occupants. Don’t skip it.
L
ET’S TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT’S important but sometimes dismissed by the pilot in command (PIC): fuel.
The PIC is responsible for making sure all aspects of
the aircraft are airworthy before flight—including the fuel. Drawing a fuel sample (also referred to as sumping the tank) can be performed by someone other than the PIC, but he or she is ultimately the person responsible for ensuring the task is completed before takeoff. Indeed, many Part 135 operations manuals say that if
an aircraft is getting fuel from an unknown source, the fuel must be checked by the pilot before it’s put in the aircraft.
I beat the drum of PIC responsibility when it comes to fuel because I’ve seen pilots who haven’t performed or supervised the task in so long they need refresher training in it. No kidding.
How Much Is Enough? Once you’ve decided to comply with the aircraft check- list and draw a fuel sample, how much fuel do you take from the aircraft tank or sump? You should draw enough
fuel to have collected a sufficient amount from around the drain (the low point in the tank) to determine whether the fuel contains any contaminants. Some aviators have shown me samples that wouldn’t fill a thimble. My response to them is, “What can you determine from that amount?” Did they draw a sample? Yes. Does the sample satisfy the checklist requirement? Maybe. Will it tell them if the fuel contains any impuri- ties, such as water, dirt, or eroded fuel-bladder particles? Probably not. You need to collect enough fuel to be able to ensure
it’s clean. There are fuel-sumping containers available that will let you draw a respectable sample and then return it to the tank in a clean condition. Fuel tanks made of bladder material can deteriorate
over the life of the bladder, leaving very small, dark-col- ored particles in the fuel. Similarly, solid tanks can collect condensation over time if the aircraft is parked in a humid location. Water can even penetrate the tank during aircraft washing or heavy rainfall, or through vents or poorly sealing fuel caps. And don’t overlook the tanks the aircraft is fueled
68 ROTOR SEPTEMBER 2022
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