Refuelling From Drums
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 4,704
Likes: 589
From: 500 miles from Chaikhosi, Yogistan
I am positive that somewhere in the past I have seen a document from a fuelling company on refuelling from drums. Someone may have it.
Some good gen above, but I am alarmed about someone saying that it's good to use a previously opened drum... not advisable.
400 lt John? That's a trickle! My record is 2700 litres in one hit - by hand! Mind you it wasn't +40°C though
Some good gen above, but I am alarmed about someone saying that it's good to use a previously opened drum... not advisable.
400 lt John? That's a trickle! My record is 2700 litres in one hit - by hand! Mind you it wasn't +40°C though
Joined: Aug 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 83
From: Gold Coast, Australia
400lt gave me an hour-and-a-bit on the fireline, and an excuse to land and have a break for another refuel 
I thought you had a Great Big Refuel Truck following you around in those orange boxes
I thought you had a Great Big Refuel Truck following you around in those orange boxes
Fleet Manager
Joined: Apr 2001
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 7,445
Likes: 310
From: various places .....
Water detecting paste (or a syringe with tablets) used to be available from the fuel companies
Still available - we buy stock regularly - but not a very long shelf life. You can have my regularly thrown out timex stock if you want ...
Still available - we buy stock regularly - but not a very long shelf life. You can have my regularly thrown out timex stock if you want ...
Joined: Mar 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,658
Likes: 153
From: Brisbane, Qld, Australia
funnel fitted with chamois leather or two layers of nylon cloth
One source of information can be found here in the NSW Rural Fire Service Aviation Section.
Another source is on page 10 here
Joined: Dec 1998
Posts: 4,282
Likes: 6
From: Escapee from Ultima Thule
Don't do what I saw one pilot do when we were using drums:
We'd carefully stored the drums on their sides, caps level with each other then up-ended on to a chock and given time to settle during the morning, ready to be used after lunch. This bloke decided he couldn't be bothered pulling his aircraft over to the drum so he rolled a just settled drum on its side across the tarmac to the the aircraft, intending to start refueling immediately. I don't think a blender could have mixed contents as effectively.
We'd carefully stored the drums on their sides, caps level with each other then up-ended on to a chock and given time to settle during the morning, ready to be used after lunch. This bloke decided he couldn't be bothered pulling his aircraft over to the drum so he rolled a just settled drum on its side across the tarmac to the the aircraft, intending to start refueling immediately. I don't think a blender could have mixed contents as effectively.
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,640
Likes: 133
From: Paradise
601 I totally agree regarding nylon, but was quite surprised that the Kiwis recommend not using a chamois, given that it is a leather/natural fibre product.
Only thing I can think of is that there are nowadays many synthetic products using the generic term chamois to describe the product.
Maybe it is a conservationist thing too; much of the chamois is sourced from the hills of NZ (deer hide).
Only thing I can think of is that there are nowadays many synthetic products using the generic term chamois to describe the product.
Maybe it is a conservationist thing too; much of the chamois is sourced from the hills of NZ (deer hide).
Joined: Mar 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,658
Likes: 153
From: Brisbane, Qld, Australia
Chimbu
Maybe that is the problem in that there are a lot of synthetic chamois sold today. I guess it is like aircraft parts - you need to know where it was made before you use it.
Kiwis recommend not using a chamois, given that it is a leather/natural fibre product.
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Australia
McNaught Pumps are rubbish, they seize up if not used for a couple of weeks.. get a Tecalamit pump of similar design. Attach a McNaught filter with the amber filter bowl so you can see straight away if you are pumping water and or rust. You might need to attach and seal the fittings necessary with silver solder. Dont use galvanised fittings. Fit a male camloc to the outlet and cap that with a camloc cap. Put a female camloc on one end of the hose and a male camloc on the nozzle end. That way you can coil the hose up and plug it into itself when not in use, keeps the frogs and mud out. With the drum, sit one edge on a block of wood so that you cannot pump out the last 5 litres or so, you will leave any water in the drum that way. Dont forget to earth out the pump/hose to the aircraft, especially if you operate in a dry cold climate. Take a good hard look at any fuel that comes out of an old abandoned half empty drum. Before reusing a drum Inspect the inside using a mirror in the sunlight, any water or rust in there, donate it to a mate that wants a molasses drum. He now owes you a six pack. Buy a spare McNaught filter bowl, they break pretty easy. Get some other idiot to wind the handle, make up an excuse why it needs to be that way. Be safe.
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,865
Likes: 50
From: Next door to the neighbor from hell, who believes in chemtrails!
Before reusing a drum Inspect the inside using a mirror in the sunlight,
DF.
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 995
Likes: 0
From: Lisbon
I can see the Townsville Refueller cringing over this thread.He is strictly a 'truck transfer' kinda man,and would have none of this talk about fuel drums.I hope this process of using drums is NOT happenning in Townsville, he will be most annoyed.
Joined: Aug 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 83
From: Gold Coast, Australia
Originally Posted by Desert Flower
Removed both bungs from the drum, place the torch over the small hole & look in through the large one.
Try it: it works
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,865
Likes: 50
From: Next door to the neighbor from hell, who believes in chemtrails!
Strangely, the easiest (and best!) way to check is to look through the smaller hole and use the light (daylight or torchlight) through the larger hole.
DF.
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,865
Likes: 50
From: Next door to the neighbor from hell, who believes in chemtrails!
I can see the Townsville Refueller cringing over this thread.He is strictly a 'truck transfer' kinda man,and would have none of this talk about fuel drums.I hope this process of using drums is NOT happenning in Townsville, he will be most annoyed.
DF.
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,865
Likes: 50
From: Next door to the neighbor from hell, who believes in chemtrails!
Don't put Jet A1 in a piston engine aircraft. The drums are often stored together.
Will most likely still start and produce power (possibly reduced) depending on the mix.
Will most likely still start and produce power (possibly reduced) depending on the mix.
DF.