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Fueling Your Airplane

by Jason Schappert

Okay so a bit off beat from our normal broadcast but here me out… I was never actually shown/taught how to fuel an airplane! It was always just done for us at the flight school. It wasn’t until my first big solo cross country that I stopped to grab self serve fuel and had NO CLUE what I was doing! Sounds dangerous now looking back on it. So as always we had a camera and I figured… “Hey this might be a good little clip to shoot” Hope you all enjoy it and can relate to my story. – Jason



Any other tips you have related to fueling? I’d love to hear them below

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Tagged as: Fueling Your Airplane

  • Tony

    Good vid, i didnt know how to fuel till i had PPL and was in a X-Country

  • http://www.facebook.com/bobbyhubbard Bobby Hubbard

    I was just wondering about this myself…the school wants the FBO truck to always do the fill ups when at the home airport so never an opportunity to do it myself. Not a silly video. Just gives the students out there a smidge more confidence when they (eventually) do go and do it for the first time. :)

  • Larry Macaluso

    Jason,
    Is it mandatory to wear flip flops when fueling.
    Just kidding, very helpful video.
    Thanks.

  • http://www.facebook.com/shannonbrooklyn Shannon Brooklyn

    I am actually a soon to be student and this is precisely the things I am wanting to learn. I’m guessing this is like filling a diesel tank, as in you have to visual watch the level in the tank so you don’t over flow.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=5207275 Ashley Grant

    Heck, I had to fuel my plane in the middle of my PPL checkride. 

  • Guest

    Some additional tips: 
    Don’t leave the nozzle in the filler, unsupported.  It can stress the aluminum.
    If you want full fuel, hold the nozzle and look and listen to not overfill the tank (and spill/waste gas). 
    Be sure to check the cap secure, and top tab aligned into the windstream.
    Be sure to return the hose, ladder, and grounding strap to their correct, secure  locations (so they don’t get run over, blown around, etc.)
    After letting the fuel settle, check your sumps for water or other contaminants.
     

  • Debbie

    Jason,
    Not a silly subject.  I like reviewing some of your videos if I haven’t done something  in awhile as a refresher.  I heard something about touching the nozzle to the tank as you fill fuel.  Is this necessary? This may be a silly question but, in New Jersey we don’t pump car fuel.  Student pilot.

    Thanks,

  • http://www.thesquawkshoppe.com/ The Squawk Shoppe

    I was lucky enough to work on a flight line before my flight training, and take this fueling knowledge for granted.
    Not a silly video at all, and thank you for sharing with us!

  • http://www.thesquawkshoppe.com/ The Squawk Shoppe

    You don’t need to touch it, but there is a similar hint on how to keep it from splattering. Only place the nozzle in to about the tab. Then tilt the nozzle toward the fuselage of the frame. This should keep the splattering of fuel onto your wing to a minimum

  • Rich1carlstad

    Jason, good tips, you might add;  a) to check your airplane to make sure it is completely shut down, I have taxied up and got distracted, got out of the aircraft and noticed the beacon still flashing. I have seen many other pilots do the same, DANGEROUS, thing. b) some aircraft should have the cross feed turned off so the aircraft tanks won’t drain to the tank not being filled, c) the term “grounding” is actually BONDING, not grounding, do some research and you will agree. Best of luck. Rich Carlstad

  • nofences

    Hey Jason
    Not a silly video at all!!  I think you read my mind sometimes with these topics.  I got my PPL about 2 months ago and was never showed how to do this.  I took my lessons at a controlled airport and always called the FBO to fill us up.  Just the other day I was asking one of the instructors at my flight school were I rent, How and where do I ground the plane before fueling.
    There are so many other little things I think should be in our PPL training.  Such as…Can you get flight following at low altitudes?  Say 2500 or 1500MSL?  Or do you need to be at or above safe VFR cruising altitudes of 3500 and above?
    I guess it’s true “A good pilot IS always learning”!!
    Dan

  • N3251l

    Not to play safety police here, but PLEASE wear eye protection when you self fuel……. Keep a pair of safety glasses in the aircraft for this purpose. Splash fuel into your eyes and you won’t be taking off anytime soon. Another good tip is keep a pair of gloves in e aircraft as well. Don’t expect a clean fueling hose, that are only clean out of the box.

    Great video Jason. How about a video on checking your VOR prior to flight….

    Gunner

  • Kenn3621

    I brought this subject to the attention of our local flight school’s CFI some time ago.  Our airport has only full service refueling and the student pilots never fly into airports without full service refuling.  The CFI’s are now flying students into airports that are self serve and having them refuel.  I do have a couple of comments on self refueling.  Try to position the aircraft so the wind will be at your back so the fumes are being blown away from you not into your face. Make sure the aircraft is shut down properly and the master switch is off and mag switch key removed. Bond the dipensing tank to the aircraft. Some aircraft have specific bonding points that should be used so consult your POH. Prior to removing the fuel cap touch the deadman nozzel to the aircraft to release any static that might be present. Do not fuel during thunderstorm activity or if thunder can be heard.  Wait 30 minutes after thunder ceases before refueling. Wear safety glasses and protective gloves. If fuel makes contact with the skin wash it off as our 100LL contains lead.  While it is difficult to accidently put Jet-A fuel into light airplanes due to the duckbill nozzel that is supposed to be installed on the Jet-A hose, many time the duckbill is replaced with a round nozzel if a helicopter is refueled.  It is supposed to be changed back but normally is not.   If you put Jet-A in the aircraft calling for AvGas it will normally allow the engine to run until  you are high enough and far enough down the runway that a simple takeoff abort is not an option, but not high enough to have time to do anything but controlled crash straight ahead..

  • HJF

    Earned my Private this past January,  Half way through my instrument and it wasnt until this past weekend that I finally fueled a plane.  Kfrg to N30 , and not one of my instructors or either one of my flight schools found it important to show their students! Should be part of the curriculum! Thanks Jason, certainly not silly!

  • http://www.facebook.com/tedirelan Theodore J. Irelan

    I was a lineman for a while. Fueling up private planes and commercial airliners was an every-day thing for almost a year. I messed up one time and put the total quantity of fuel requested by the airline pilot all on one side and then again on the other side. Man, was he upset. As he should have been. I didn’t lose my job, but I was given a stern talking to.

  • Jim_franko

    I’m disappointed, I wanted to see you climb that ladder!!! 

  • mzeroa

    hahah with my luck I would have fallen down on camera :)

  • mzeroa

    Wow, good story! Well not good but you know what I mean

  • mzeroa

    Glad to know it wasn’t just me :)

    Jason

  • mzeroa

    Wow great points Ken! Really appreciated

    Jason

  • mzeroa

    Hey Gunner! Hope all is well with you!

    You’re spot on with your comment.

    I’ll also work on doing a VOR check video here soon

    Jason

  • mzeroa

    You’re right on that my friend! Glad you enjoyed it

    Jason

  • mzeroa

    GREAT ADDITION my friend! I appreciate the insight

    Jason

  • mzeroa

    Thanks Man!

    Jason

  • mzeroa

    Hey Debbie, As answered above by a poster there is no need to touch the nozzle before fueling or during.

    Jason

  • mzeroa

    I like the way you think. Sounds like you’re speaking from the standpoint of an aircraft owner!

    Jason

  • mzeroa

    hahah Awesome!

  • mzeroa

    Yep, nothing like filling a car

    Jason

  • mzeroa

    hahahah Good one! Must be a Florida thing :)

    Jason

  • mzeroa

    Great Bobby! I hope this video helped

    Jason

  • mzeroa

    You and me both brother

    Jason

  • vic

    very good and not at all silly
    vic

  • http://www.facebook.com/david.hinton.1023 David Hinton

    A really good topic this one Jason, it did not occur to me that this might not be taught as a matter of course.
    Again I count myself as very fortunate.
    My instructor, Dave Welton, did cover refueling and a thousand other things that he’d run into during his many years in aviation.
    Countless times since I have had his words of wisdom pop into my head!

    And we always refer to “grounding” the aircraft, just as in the UK I’m sure they “earth” it, terminology is of no consequence as long as the process is correct.
    (BTW, the process I use is almost exactly the same as yours).

  • Dave

    Great topic… I always teach this to my students because like you I was never taught… Keep up the good work… Keep the blue side up, the brown side down, and the altimeter and airspeed above zero…

  • mzeroa

    hahah love it! Thanks man!

    Jason

  • mzeroa

    Awesome man! Sounds like you’ve got/had a great CFI on your hands

  • mzeroa

    Thanks man :)

    Jason

  • MARK

    I have been fueling from a pickup tank. Just by guess I have been grounding aircraft from exhaust to metal tie down stake embedded in the dirt (via jumper cables) So far I am not dead……but can anyone comment on whether this is an acceptable and safe procedure?

  • Michael

    That’s the most work I EVER seen you do my friend!!!!

  • Ken

    Technically you are bonding not grounding, unless a chain is on the ground. You could still cause a spark by touching the aircraft, likely rare however. Good points in you video!

  • juliet

    Towing backwards on flip flops s like trying to lick your elbow…

  • Joe Platt

    Nice try Jason but I think you missed a lot, much of which has been picked up in the replies. I would add:- Don’t wear flip flops, you are going up and down a ladder with a heavy fuel hose! Do chock the airplane, if it can move one day it will. (Murphy’s Law) Don’t ding the wing leading edge with the fuel nozzle, check your leading edge to see how many times this has already happened. If fuelling from a truck bond the truck to the airplane (or vice versa) or bond both to ground.
    Amazing how something which looks so simple is actually very difficult to do well ie safely.
    Joe

  • Pat

    Jason, Great info however laying the nozzle on the ground looks like a bad idea. would it not be better to fuel up asap? This would avoid grit and sand from being inserted into the tanks.

  • http://www.facebook.com/peterking62 Peter King

    Hi Jason:

    Good topic. I saw you at the SAFE dinner at Oshkosh; sorry I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself.

    A few things to add:

    * Composite aircraft often have specific grounding/bonding points documented in the POH. Don’t assume the tiedowns are sufficient, though with metal aircraft they are likely to be.

    * Check that the nozzle is closed before powering on the pump. Sometimes the nozzle valve has a weak spring, or the nozzle has been hung on its handle. If you power up the fuel pump with the nozzle open, you will pay for a lot of fuel on the ground.

    * Make sure you park so your wings are level. Some fueling areas are not level.

    * Some aircraft with wet wings take a while for fuel to settle because there are relatively small holes through the wing ribs.. If you fuel quickly to a certain level and then walk away, you might find later that you don’t have all the fuel you think you have. On such an aircraft, one effective technique when adding a lot of fuel is to fuel one wing, then the other, then go back and top off the first wing, then top off the second wing.

    * If you want a full tank, you must really fill it all the way to the top. A 1/2″ gap can add up to several gallons because the wings are so wide and flat.

    * It is impolite to leave the hose coiled poorly. That can cause it to jam for the next pilot. If you are wearing shoes, and the hose has an electric rewind, you can use your foot to guide the hose to a nice even coil.

    * Hold on to the grounding strap while you gently rewind it. Don’t let it rewind freely and snap in. Two things can happen if you do this: (1) the wire can get tangled and jam, and (2) the clip on the end of the wire can break off. Either would render the fuel tank out-of-service for the next pilot.

    * Check the actual amount of fuel purchased against what you thought you were going to buy. If you are consistently putting in more fuel than you anticipate, you need to figure out why. Reconsider your fuel planning procedures. The only acceptable error is to land with more fuel than you think you have.

    * If you can delay sumping the tanks after fueling (for example, by having lunch), you will get better results from the sump. It can take a while for water and/or sediment to settle to the bottom of the tank after fueling.
    Keep it up, Jason. Good stuff.
    PK

  • mzeroa

    Incredible points Peter! Bummer we didn’t get a chance to connect at Osh! There is always next year.

    This is why I love when you guys leave comments… I learn so much :)

    Being that I don’t fly composite aircraft I never really thought of how or where to ground/bond the aircraft. Neat point!

    However my favorite points you made were the last 2! How many times have you seen people fuel up, get in, and go? THEY DIDNT EVEN SUMP IT! So they’re just trusting that airports fuel? Geeez

    I was flying a 182 with a student the other day and we noticed we were burning significantly more in the left wing vs the right wing… Now isn’t that a point for concern and something to address? Absolutely. But if you just hop in and go or care less about how much goes in each wing you’ll never know!

    Great points my friend

    Jason

  • http://www.ThePilotJourney.com/ Joseph Turbin

    Love this post! You would think it to be so simple but the first time I fueled an airplane… I had no idea. Thanks for this great post and video!

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