View Full Version : Flying With Refuel Cap Missing
It happened again, they managed to lose my refuel cap (or whatever you call it).
Of course you get notified after the flight, and maintenance says it's OK to fly back home like that...
Personally, that happened to me maybe 4 times in total, and I've never experienced any troubles on three different airplane models.
Does anybody want to bring any consideration to this?
:hmm:
albatross
25th Jan 2006, 18:41
What type of A/C?
Who is they?
Was it there when you did your preflight?
foxmoth
25th Jan 2006, 18:43
Certainly with full wing tanks you will get a lot venting through the hole, not so bad with fuselage tanks or partialy empty ones. Personally I would not be going far in this state.
TURIN
25th Jan 2006, 18:58
"Certainly with full wing tanks you will get a lot venting through the hole, not so bad with fuselage tanks or partialy empty ones. "
Not on a pressurised refuelling system it won't. Self sealing couplings are the norm these days (pioneered on the Comet1 I believe).
Very rare to find a Boeing with a fuel cap actually fitted.
Airbus A320 on the other hand usually have it fitted as it is flush with the lower wing skin. If it is missing then as has been stated MEL allows for it with regular checks before each flight.:ok:
Swedish Steve
25th Jan 2006, 19:11
If the aircraft does not have a fuel jettison system, then the refuel lines are emptied as soon as refuelling completed. The refuel gallery is only used for refuelling and is drained through NRVs into the tanks as soon as the pressure is off. Some aircraft use the refuel gallery as the fuel jettison manifold so the cap is required As a back up. The coupling itself id selfsealing. The B747 has mechanical shut off valves so the fuel cap is the third stage of safety!
bafanguy
25th Jan 2006, 21:47
It happened again, they managed to loose my refuel cap (or whatever you call it).
Of course you get notified after the flight, and maintenance says it's OK to fly back home like that...
Personally, that happened to me maybe 4 times in total, and I've never experienced any troubles on three different airplane models.
Does anybody want to bring any consideration to this?
:hmm:
What does your Minimum Equipment List say ? What type airplane ? We flew MD80s without the fueling cap now and then...no problem.
If the aircraft does not have a fuel jettison system, then the refuel lines are emptied as soon as refuelling completed. The refuel gallery is only used for refuelling and is drained through NRVs into the tanks as soon as the pressure is off.
Thanks, good to know. I was wondering if the fuel trapped between the nozzle and the fueling valves run the risk to leak or something like that...