how many of you guys can recall a JetA1 fuelled machine catching fire while hot refuelling
As
AC says
Assess the risk, do the job if the risk is low enough to warrant it. For the risk-averse, there is a nice safe office job in the government somewhere
UH-1C tail number 65-09442 - THE PURPOSE OF THE TEST FLIGHT WAS THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE MAIN ROTOR PITCH CHANGE LINK. HE HAD FLOWN FOR APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES AND DETERMINED THE PITCH CHANGE LINK WAS PROPERLY ADJUSTED. HE HOVERED TO THE REFUELING STRIP. THE AIRCRAFT HAD APPROXIMATELY 600 LBS. OF FUEL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SET DOWN AND THE DOORS WERE OPENED, THE RPM WAS MAINTAINED AT 6600. THE CREW CHIEF BEGAN THE REFUELING PROCEDURE. THE PROPER PROCEDURES WERE FOLLOWED EXCEPT THE AIRCRAFT WASN'T GROUNDED BECAUSE THERE WERE NO GROUNDING WIRES AT THE PUMP, AND THE CREW CHIEF COULD NOT REFUEL WITH HIS VISOR DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS THE TINTED TYPE AND HE COULD NOT SEE BECAUSE IT WAS DARK. THE PILOT WAS GOING TO SIGNAL THE CREW CHIEF THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS REFUELED BY TURNING HIS NAVIGATION LIGHTS FROM STEADY BRIGHT TO OFF, THEN BACK ON AGAIN. AS THE FUEL GAUGE REACHED 1400 LBS. THE PILOT GAVE THE SIGNAL. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS OF THE SIGNAL THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS CONCENTRATED AROUND THE FUEL PART AND DOWN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER, IT SPREAD ONTO THE GROUND AND THE REFUELING HOSE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WITHIN 6 MINUTES BY THE AIRFIELD CRASH CREW
A rare event, but undertaken safely if the necessary precautions are taken. Never saw a helo refuelled while shut down in Vietnam, it was always hot refuelling, seeing a line of mortars walking down the POL line was one incentive. Was not aware of any untoward events until reading this report today.