GA must refuel from sealed drums?

[rdarby]

I have been told that a VH registered airplane cannot be refuelled from a half drum or jerrycans etc. but should only use a sealed drum from someone like Shell.

 

I can understand the technical reasons but I can't find a reference to a CAO or similar on it. Does anyone know the reference?

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Ryan

 

 

[Geoff_H]

I thought that it was just not a good idea as one does not know what is in the drum for certain. If it has not been stored upside down it is a definite water ingress kit like the GA refuelers use.

 

Better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air than in the air wishing you were on the ground. Water in fuel could bring about the later.

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

I have been told that a VH registered airplane cannot be refuelled from a half drum or jerrycans etc. but should only use a sealed drum from someone like Shell.I can understand the technical reasons but I can't find a reference to a CAO or similar on it. Does anyone know the reference?

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Ryan

Who told you that?

 

There'd be a hell of a lot of grounded and abandoned planes in the bush if that was the case. The vast majority of the refuelling I did in the bush was from partially full drums or drums refilled at the nearest airport which was often hundreds of kilometres away. And I'd never have reached most of my destinations in helicopters if it wasn't for refuelling them from Jerrycans.

 

I haven't read the CARs relating to fuelling for a long while but they used (when they were ANRs) to provide plenty of detail of the procedure for fuelling from drums and jerries, hot-refuelling etc. I'd expect it's still there, I'll have a look when I have some spare time, meantime ask whoever told you for a reference to the legislation covering this. It's my guess that they don't know what they're on about ...

 

All that said, it's important to check the fuel carefully, whether it's in a sealed drum or not. Sealed drums don't guarantee anything, I used to have sealed drums delivered from Darwin to our heliports in the Kimberley. We had several cases of Avtur contaminated with bacteria that would clog the fuel filters in minutes if you didn't detect it before putting it in the tanks, and one case of Avgas mislabelled as Avtur, and two cases of whole shipments of correctly labelled Avgas delivered instead of Avtur. So it certainly pays to be vigilant about your fuelling.

 

 

[Yenn]

The recommendations for how to refuel are just that and they are not complied with by most of us. I have never seen the water indicating paste that they recommend. I have been refuelling from drums for many years and no problems. It helps to pump from a couple of inches above the bottom of the drum. It is also a good idea to keep the two bungs horizontal and one side of the drum low enough for water on the top to be below the level of the bungs. I pump into a plastic jerry can and then after looking for water in the can syphon, leaving a litre or so in the can to go through a water filter.

 

 

[robinsm]

doesnt anyone test their fuel for water as a matter of course these days?

 

 

[kasper]

Not me - I refuel from jerrycans and use a Mr Funnel then test drain from aircraft tank after each fill ... but I do test for ethanol every time I fill the jerry cans ... which of course means I add a very precise amount water and 'petrol' and shake like there is no tomorrow to make sure I do not get more 'water' after the event ... can be evil stuff that ethanol

 

 

[facthunter]

Once a seal is removed from a drum of avgas, it's "integrity" is not able to be established from a legal standpoint for subsequent users. It has in effect it's own release note like all aviation products. RAAus is not required to operate under this rule, but once someone has opened something you have no check of what's in it .Nev

 

 

[Jaba-who]

It sounds like someone has mixed a few rules and guidelines from various sources together.

 

The major fuel companies will not sell you a "cracked" drum. That's their own internal rules ( at least I think they are internal. Maybe there are laws that dictate to fuel companies but I think they don't apply to the receiver only the provider). I have bought many drums of fuel all over Aus and many providers won't sell you anything less than the full drum. And you have to buy the metal drum itself as well! Have had some who ask you to inspect the lock wire and tag on the drum and sign that it was sealed when you take possession of it.

 

I have flown off and left half drums of fuel and the metalwork a number of times knowing that someone is going to get a heap of free fuel to run their motor bike or old station ute etc and then split the drum open for a horse trough.

 

Some will sell you part drums but usually not. If several planes are together it's common to split the drum and the cost.

 

I have managed to be on the opposite end a few ( very few) times and get the occasional bit of fuel that someone left in a drum. Always with the word something like " you can have this - fuel cheap or free - but it's at your own risk." Usually they will give you a history of how long it's been there etc. but I never believed it.

 

Certainly it is Bush GA folklore/guidelines not to use opened drums of fuel with uncertain history. It's not just water either that can be in there. I've heard of half full drums becoming a repository for drained tanks on all sorts of engines. Fuel ages as well and breaks down and if you can't vouch for the age of the fuel it may be suspect.

 

I used to sneaky look around and see how other drums were stored. If they were standing upright in the open then I wouldn't accept opened drum fuel even for free. That's how water gets sucked into them at night when the drum cools and sucks water that's pooled on the top of the drum down the thread of the cap. If they were all laying on their sides I'd feel better about it.

 

So I think it's someone has misinterpreted the general rules/guidelines for drivers and also the fuel company self rules and assumed it is a law.

 

 

[ben87r]

I know of companies that refuel from part full drums so it wouldn't be illegal.

 

With that tho they own the fuel and have a secure place for it to be stored, correctly and out of the weather, there is a way to do it and many ways where I wouldn't accept it.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Store them on their sides with the bungs horizontal, preferably off the ground. 6 inch round poles are good. I tilt the drum when pumping fuel so the side the fuel is coming from is on the high side and i like to let it sit a few minutes before pumping. The paste is good just smear some on a length of dowel on on the end of the spear. The little "pills" and a syringe can be used when you take a sample when you first pump.

 

Shell will usually give these away.