As you hope to find?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: York, UK
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As you hope to find?
I was reading 'Pilot' this morning and came across the wisdom that 'it's only polite to leave [the aircraft] fuelled and ready to go' for the next 'fellow'.
To me this seems a bit daft, as that fellow may be relying on less than maximum fuel for mass/balance reasons. Indeed, my club has a rule that you don't refuel the aircraft after a flight, giving the next user more flexibility when it comes to choosing his (or her) load.
I was just wondering what's considered usual. I'd hate to make some humiliating social blunder if I come to fly in the UK
.
Thanks,
Proctor
To me this seems a bit daft, as that fellow may be relying on less than maximum fuel for mass/balance reasons. Indeed, my club has a rule that you don't refuel the aircraft after a flight, giving the next user more flexibility when it comes to choosing his (or her) load.
I was just wondering what's considered usual. I'd hate to make some humiliating social blunder if I come to fly in the UK
.Thanks,
Proctor
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Not a million miles from EGTF
Age: 68
Posts: 1,579
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We have the rule that we fuel to 3/4 tanks.
Nothing is worse than to turn up for a flight without any fuel on board, as has happened to me - the previous pilot taxied back to the hangar on fumes!
Nothing is worse than to turn up for a flight without any fuel on board, as has happened to me - the previous pilot taxied back to the hangar on fumes!
>Indeed, my club has a rule that you don't refuel the aircraft after a flight, giving the next user more flexibility when it comes to choosing his (or her) load.<
This should only really apply to the touring aircraft of your club where there are indeed often W&B problems with high cabin/baggage loads.
The basic training aircraft should really be fuelled to a club-recommended level to reduce the possibility of condensation/water-contamination/ corrosion.
Thus it follows that a pre-flight fuel drain check is vital on the touring aircraft as well as regular checks on fuel filters by your engineers to check for corrosion debris.
This should only really apply to the touring aircraft of your club where there are indeed often W&B problems with high cabin/baggage loads.
The basic training aircraft should really be fuelled to a club-recommended level to reduce the possibility of condensation/water-contamination/ corrosion.
Thus it follows that a pre-flight fuel drain check is vital on the touring aircraft as well as regular checks on fuel filters by your engineers to check for corrosion debris.
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Dublin
Posts: 2,547
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thus it follows that a pre-flight fuel drain check is vital on the touring aircraft
I don't really believe the whole condensation in the thanks thing. The amount of water that can be produced from this is very minor in my view. Water in tanks generally come from poor/old seals on the filler caps and some rain in my experience.
Proctor,
Each club/school will have it's own policy on it. You should ask when hiring the aircraft what the policy is there. Any club I've flown with, the policy was not to reful after flight, to allow the next person to choose the fuel level.
Otherwise you generally end up fueling twice between each flight.....Once after landing to 3/4 or tab's, and then again when the next person decides that they have no w/b issues, and want full tanks.
dp
Pompey till I die
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Guildford
Age: 51
Posts: 779
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Slightly off topic but...
Is there a prefered way to leave seat belts, seats etc ? The CFI said to me the other day they were having a crack down on people leaving the aircraft tidy.
Which is fine, apart from I'm not sure if there's some protocol for how things should be left ?
Which is fine, apart from I'm not sure if there's some protocol for how things should be left ?
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: SE England
Posts: 409
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm not sure if there's some protocol for how things should be left ?
) is the one to ask. If they are planning a "crackdown" then it is only reasonable that all pilots are made aware of some minimum standards in respect of fuel / interior etc. In the helicopter world the accepted practice is to secure the seatbelts and not to refuel, allowing the next pilot to decide on their own quantity in respect of w&b.
If in doubt, leave the aircraft in the same way that you would like to find it. Like DBChopper says, that generally means everything turned off (esp avionics), any litter removed and belts done up.
Like I was always told, "leave the aircraft ready for the next guy". However, trying to second guess his fuel requirements might be taking things a bit too far!
HTH.
Like I was always told, "leave the aircraft ready for the next guy". However, trying to second guess his fuel requirements might be taking things a bit too far!
HTH.
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: near Barton
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Our group policy is to leave our Cherokee fuelled "to tabs", so that the next guy doesn't have to sit in a queue for fuel before departing. Somehow it always seems more agreeable to wait for a fueller while contemplating the flight just completed and filling in the tech log and logbook.
On the same topic, there are a number of different "preferences" as to how an aeroplane should be left.
I think it is polite to refuel to "tabs" on the club PA-28. That gives reasonable flexibility for the following person. As we use e-allocator, they can always say, " .... please leave close to empty, I am taking four large people to Goodwood" or " ... please leave full am going solo to Inverness"
I do get cross when I arraive and find an aeroplane without fuel - especially where slot times are limited, that somethimes happens if somebody has arrived back out of hours and the bowser driver has gone home.
Do you leave the beacon "on" or "off" when switching off the master ? Personally I leave it on. 'T'ain't what my AFE checklist says.
Personally I turn the fuel off .. lots of people insist yiou should leave it on.
We nornally leave the brakes off but the aeroplane chocked. Some people argue that the brakes should be left on.
Seat belts should be neatly crosed or secured on the seats.
There are always things that are aircraft specific. I've been caught out before by a radio master rather than just the individual switches. God job I had a check with an instructor on one occasion or I would have had to shut down and go find somebody to tell me how to turn the damn things on, so well hidden was the switch. I did my 2 yearly review once and got blasted for not turning the radio master off (and so I should !).
DGG
I think it is polite to refuel to "tabs" on the club PA-28. That gives reasonable flexibility for the following person. As we use e-allocator, they can always say, " .... please leave close to empty, I am taking four large people to Goodwood" or " ... please leave full am going solo to Inverness"
I do get cross when I arraive and find an aeroplane without fuel - especially where slot times are limited, that somethimes happens if somebody has arrived back out of hours and the bowser driver has gone home.
Do you leave the beacon "on" or "off" when switching off the master ? Personally I leave it on. 'T'ain't what my AFE checklist says.
Personally I turn the fuel off .. lots of people insist yiou should leave it on.
We nornally leave the brakes off but the aeroplane chocked. Some people argue that the brakes should be left on.
Seat belts should be neatly crosed or secured on the seats.
There are always things that are aircraft specific. I've been caught out before by a radio master rather than just the individual switches. God job I had a check with an instructor on one occasion or I would have had to shut down and go find somebody to tell me how to turn the damn things on, so well hidden was the switch. I did my 2 yearly review once and got blasted for not turning the radio master off (and so I should !).
DGG
Last edited by Dave Gittins; 11th Jun 2007 at 12:57. Reason: carp spelling
