Cessna 150/152 Fuel on/off cock

[Centaurus]

During a pre-flight of a Cessna 152, the fuel cock was found to be irrevocably jammed in the fuel on position. I was told by an instructor this is a common problem (defect?) in Cessnas. Does this mean the aircraft is by defintion un-airworthy, and should not be flown until the problem is rectified? Or is it just a minor problem and its safe to fly the aircraft?

[NorthSouth]

Ah, that explains why I've never seen one in the OFF position. And there was me thinking it was a matter of policy.....

NS

[ShyTorque]

Just ask yourself this:

"How would I deal with a fuel leak / engine fire in the air if the fuel cock cannot be turned off?"

[Genghis the Engineer]

Check it's signed by a LAME or approved maintenance organisation as an acceptable deferred fault !

I'm willing to bet that they haven't, and it isn't.

(In the meantime, I've flown a lot of C150/152/172 aircraft over the years and never seen this, nor heard it discussed - so either I've been very lucky, or no it isn't common. And for the sound reasons stated by Shytorque, I'd not accept it.)

G

[fireflybob]

Well believe it or not I wrote to the Airworthiness Division of the CAA (or was is Ministry of Aviation then?) about this circa 1975 after there was a directive to wire lock the fuel cock on C150s to the ON position as "continually turning the cock on and off" would potentially lead to failure!!

I wish I had kept the correspondence but I seem to recall that the Authority were quite nonplussed concerning my comments about the hazards of not being able to turn the fuel cock off.

Quite simply if you cannot turn the fuel cock off the aircraft should be considered unserviceable until its fixed!

[Onan the Clumsy]

Just ask yourself this:

"How would I deal with a fuel leak / engine fire in the air if the fuel cock cannot be turned off?"

I don't know. How would you deal with it? :confused:

[ShyTorque]

Onan, one couldn't.

I would prevent it by refusing to fly the aircraft until it was fixed.

[idle stop]

And the correct answer surely is.........
Turn it OFF and then back ON during the daily Check A. This ensures that it is exercised, and if seized this will be noticed before the aircraft goes on the line, and also that it is not over-exercised, leading to 'premature failure'.