Fuel Tanks

[Tankrat Charles]

Thought I'd invite questions to the area pertaining to fuel tank leaks and FQIS discrepancies. I am interested in starting a fuel tank repair contract company. I have watched for to long the un-professional, don't care attitude of contract maintenance being performed on the aircraft you all fly. := It's amazing what I have found in your fuel tanks. I'm a 16 year fuel tank mechanic and take great pride in what I do. If you have any suggestions or capital investors I'd love to chat. Fed Ex is calling here in IND. I have a business plan.

[Fargoo]

I have watched for to long the un-professional, don't care attitude of contract maintenance being performed on the aircraft you all fly.

Probably not the best place to come and have a go at engineers. :ugh:

[GS John]

Which MRO do you work for / have worked for?

[Tankrat Charles]

Not having a go with engineers here. I'm not talking about the systems in the fuel tanks. I'm talking about the debris that is left in them. I have found 2 aircraft this past week with access panels in the E&E bays with incorrect hardware allowing fuel vapors to be exposed to the electrical systems.
The other day I found 3 red rags on top of a boost pump inlet screen. You do know what happens when fuel can't get to the engine right?

[Tankrat Charles]

I worked at ATA and developed their complete fuel tank crews 19 years ago and was successful in eliminating all fuel AOG situations concerning this system. As well as repair leaks with 100% reliability.
I took a position with (FFCS) Floats and Fuel Cells out of TN............................. I recommend DO NOT USE THIS REPAIR COMPANY.............. Their reliability at Fed Ex with my information and data removed is 42%. Not very cost effective. Especially when FFCS will not honor their warranty work. They will alter the information of the actual work to say that this is a new discrepancy and not related to the original discrepancy thus costing the customer additional funds. They will also cover up anything found in these tanks. "DON"T TELL THE CUSTOMER" is a common statement heard from FFCS OCC. I worked a fuel leak that had been worked by others in this company 9 times, Fed Ex paid for this repair each time. When I worked this leak I back tracked it to the original location. FFCS had been putting sealant on the exterior and moving the leak farther out/bd. 13 feet out/bd. From what I could tell 26 tubes of sealant had been used to repair this leak. Most of the times it takes 1 tube. Many of FFCS employees are none other than common Joe's having no experience working on aircraft and are paid $10.00-$12.00 an hour. What do you expect from so call professional workers making this kind of money.
The MRO that I spent 1 year at for FFCS and I will never work for an MRO again was AAR Indy.
I have brought this information to the attention of the FAA but have not received a return contact.

[SNS3Guppy]

Ironically I opened a fuel cell several days ago to replace some failed sealant, and right off the bat found a large rag someone left behind. Certainly not the first time, but it never fails to amaze me that these things happen. Mistakes can happen, but leaving tools, rags, or other materials inside a fuel tank isn't one that should ever be allowed to occur.