Originally Posted by Swedish Steve
The water in aircraft fuel tanks is not introduced by refuelling. It is normal when refuelling to take a sample from the bowser/dispenser. The apparatus to do this is built into the truck. This sample is then tested for density and water. This is normal, and done all the time by refuellers. A small sample of the supplied fuel is drawn through a Shell water detector capsule by a syringe. In all my years refuelling aircraft, I have never seen any water detected.
Originally Posted by Lemain
Looking at the condensate due to humid air, let us consider the worst case of an empty tank full of saturated air at 30C. The mass of water could be up to 30g per cubic metre (i.e. 30cc water or six teaspoons-full per cubic metre). I am not surprised that you seldom find much water in the sumps.
Originally Posted by Rightbase
IIRC BA038 was pretty well water and ice free before starting the 2-way trip to Beijing and back.
Can't all be right, guys.
At the risk of stating the obvious, either
1) There
was water in the uploaded fuel, or
2) The amount of water condensed from the incoming air was
much greater than calculated, or
3) The aircraft
hadn't been sumped adequately before the flight, or
4) It
wasn't ice in the fuel system which brought down BA038.
Sooty