Flying Begins With Fuel

[@Fpczach]

I discovered you this week and greatly enjoy the series. Thanks!

[@rv12sg]

Thank you, sir! I am glad you enjoy the videos.

[@FloridaFlying]

I mix 90 no-ethanol with 100ll. My mixture gets me at about 95 octane. Since I’ve done this, I see almost 0 lead in my oil changes. When I fill with external jugs I use a “Mr Funnel” which has a filter strainer. All my samples have looked very clean. Haven’t found water yet

[@MikeRetsoc]

Where is the sump on your -12? Did they add it to later models? Mine, with a ULS rotax, has no sump. Only a gascolater.

[@rv12sg]

My 12 has a genuine fuel sampler sump. It is located under the fuel tank at the left wing root.

[@n085fs]

Cars used to have problems of water in the fuel. The fuel tank was a basic shape, and the pickup was set at the bottom of the tank for simplicity. Water sits at the bottom of the tank. Engineers didn't change physics, so why don't cars have problems of water in the tank anymore? Because they shaped the fuel tank to have a lower area and keep the fuel pickup above it. So now, as you drive, the tank gets shook up and the water goes into the engine in small amounts instead of all at once. Good luck doing that with planes though. We really can only keep ensuring to check the fuel the same way we've done for a century.

[@KK4MWB]

My flight instructor always asks me if I re-sumped the tanks, even if I just did it prior to the fuel truck driving up to top us off prior to a lesson. 👍

[@rv12sg]

You have a good instructor. This was never stressed to me before. I had to deduce this on my own.

[@talkingbob]

I (thankfully) was taught early on by the mechanic that owned the C150s that I did my initial PPL training in to not only sump after fueling, but to first rock the plane a little to help any would-be contaminants settle faster. I would then wait a few minutes and take a fuel sample from each tank's sump. (The Cessna 150 only had one sump per tank) EDIT: The airport only had a self-serve MOGAS pump and the Cessna 150 was STC'd for MOGAS.

[@rv12sg]

It helps to get advice from a mechanic - they've seen it all. Like you, I tend to rock my plane but I do it during fueling. It helps to settle down the float gauge. Then I add more fuel if there's room. Thanks for watching.

[@alphaadhito]

Did you use Mogas or Avgas for the 912? I know Avgas had a lot of stricter about contaminants than Mogas and also using jerry can to transfer fuel from gas pump to the plane can introduce contaminants to the fuel. Hey, maybe you can made a video about using Mogas in aircraft, sure it'll be interesting!

[@rv12sg]

Although Mogas is allowed in my Rotax, I exclusively run 100LL. It has occurred to me that folks who get mogas in plastic containers before pouring it in their plane might have a higher risk of introducing contaminants into the mix. I have seen some pretty rusty looking metal cans, too. I'll stick with Avgas for my plane.

[@dalemseitzer]

There is a false sense of security using a gascolator. I use a screen filter and can check it easily before or during flight. I also us only ethanol fuel, 10% and have had zero problems. The ethanol absorbs small amounts of water and it goes through the engine. I use sea foam as a fuel stabilizer according to the instructions. I put in the fuel stabilizer when I fill up my dedicated gas cans. 1400 hours on this plane, 912 uls, thousands more on previous planes. I also do not get why you mentioned the crash of 404n, I read the ntsb final report and the issue was fuel line debris and gas float out of spec.

[@rv12sg]

I mentioned it because I assumed that the debris in the fuel line came from contaminated fuel. Even if I missed the point, I recalled the the crash narrative as I re-read the instructions in my POH.

[@Captndarty]

What I don’t get is, I have had zero water and fuel related issues with terrestrial vehicles so why is it all of a sudden a huge massive deal once the wheels leave the ground in an airplane? This philosophy extends across all aspects of aviation.

[@rv12sg]

I understand your point of view. You'd think fuel is filtered before it is pumped into your plane. There are, however, other ways contaminants can get in there, so better to be safe than sorry, I suppose.

[@dbcrn859]

I'm surprised you were not taught to sump the tanks after refueling. It's as basic as checking the sumps as part of your preflight.

[@rv12sg]

You have hit on the reason I posted this video. I suspect there are others like me who were not taught this. In fact, at my airport the self-serve fuel pump is right next to the front porch where we all sit and watch the goings-on on the ramp. I have never, not once, seen anyone fuel up and then drain the sump before cranking up and taxiing away.

[@FlyingNDriving]

Sumping after a fill up will not reveal any water right away. It takes time, more than several minutes, fuel and water actually mix to some extent so it's not helpful and not an effective way to find water in the fuel after refueling.

[@dbcrn859]

@@FlyingNDriving Yes, but it needs to be done before the next flight!

[@rv12sg]

@@FlyingNDriving While that may be true, if I find any water at all in the first sample, I'll wait a while and sample again until clear. I do know that if I add a drop of water to a clear sample in my sump checker it sinks immediately to the bottom - it's a smaller quantity but the action of separating the two fluids is instantaneous.