Rain rain go away.....I want to refuel

[Geoffersincornwall]

Bun-fight errupted when one operator on the airport said 'it's raining too much for us to refuel'.

How much rain-in-tank can a chopper like a S76 or a 332 accept before it compromises fuel quality? I cannot imagine that even heavy rain can result in enough water finding it's way into the tank.

Normal rule - if it's really chucking it down then protect fuel filler whilst filling. Except during a thunderstorm I cannot remember ever having stopped refuelling.

:hmm:

[Aesir]

Duhh..? Do you mean that the refueler would not refuel your aircraft or was it a aircraft operator didn´t want to take on fuel do to the rain?

Like you said it´s easy enough to cover the nozzle when taking on fuel in rain to avoid it getting in the tank, should be no problem! This is the first time I have ever heard of not fueling due to rain.

[Geoffersincornwall]

Well there may be many things that strike you as odd here but imagine the dilemma facing the oil company man. Company A says it's raining too much and Company B says it's not.

Now, you have just been briefed that 50 % of C30 failures were due to maintenance related issues (50% of your fleet are 76As) and the main issue was 'fuel contamination'.

As a non-aviator how do you get your head around that and can you really believe this European interloper when he says what a load of b*****ks.

If you want to hear about another interesting Brazilian idea how about this. With the midday meal break enshrined in the employment laws and eating and drinking in the cockpit frowned upon the very Brazilian solution was - EVERYBODY STOPS FOR LUNCH. No joking, everything stops.

Well now that the N Sea guys have got 'equal time' rosters they can get to work on the midday meal-break.

Ho Ho

G

:E

[NickLappos]

I have never heard of rain stopping refueling operations on any helo. Is this one of those non-problems that needs to be created?

[Hidden Agenda]

I guess with rain at least you can tell whether it is raining or it is not raining. Our problem is a little less tangible.

Operating in an area with a very high incidence of lightening strikes we are faced with a more frustrating problem at some of the locations where we try to refuel. We are prohibited from refueling if lightening has recently been seen in the area or if a lightening risk is forecast. As you may guess this leads to some ‘interesting’ conversations.

[Geoffersincornwall]

I agree with Nick - it's a non-problem...... but how the hell do I make it go away. Ideally we need a 'rainmeter' that tells you when the precipitation rate is above a certain threshold. Any Met boffins out there got any ideas.


G



:confused:

[NickLappos]

Geoff:

I have found that if you suddenly start buying fuel from somewhere else (especially at today's rates!) that fellow will start examining his rules, and decide to alter them. As he loses thousands per day, be sure he knows why.

The simplest precautions will prevent water entry in most helos I know, even just draping a cloth, or taping a small curtain of plastic above the opening would stop water entry entirely, assuming there is some to begin with.

The fuel tanks do not generally separate the water, we design them to have the least unusable fuel.

If in doubt, wait several minutes after refuel, and take a fuel sample from the drains, a mass of water will quickly drop to the bottom. It is fun to crawl under an S76 in the mud to sample fuel, I know from experience!

Regarding fuelling in lightning environments, the problem is not the lightning, is it? It is the not-lightning, and how to assure it. I don't know how you prove the negative ("I assume there is lightning. To refuel, you must prove there is none.") except to look up and see no convective activity, and say "There is no lightning." If necessary, take charge. Nothing succeeds like giving them a way to blame someone else. Insert a signoff on the fuel sheet "The Captain asserts that he observes no lightning activity and thus approves the refuel operation," and sign it. Completely baffles the bureaucratic dunderheads when they meet someone with balls. Besides, you flew in there, right? I think lightning is a worry for all operations, fueling be damned.