German Federal Police helicopter crew twice refueled the wrong fuel
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German Federal Police helicopter crew twice refueled the wrong fuel
The German Federal Police demanded more than one million euros in damages from a helicopter crew because they had twice refueled the wrong fuel.
The police practiced a surveillance mission in March, using a helicopter with thermal imaging camera. As the "Spiegel" reports, there was a mix-up that could ruin three policemen financially.
The crew consisting of pilot, co-pilot and flight operator, landed twice during the exercise at Stendal airfield in Saxony-Anhalt. There, they refueled their Eurocopter 135, but unfortunately with the wrong fuel. At the end of the exercise, the damage was noted during the routine inspection: The turbines were virtually burned out, the technicians reported. The Federal Police had several ways to repair the damage, learned the "Spiegel": This included a major overhaul of the engines or an exchange for used turbines. It was decided to install new turbines, which was the fastest but also the most expensive solution.
The bill should now pay the three policemen: Together exactly 1,072,293.49 euros. Now the union of the police representing the occupation is arguing with the Federal Ministry of the Interior about the legality of the claim.
Sorry, I can not insert a link...
The police practiced a surveillance mission in March, using a helicopter with thermal imaging camera. As the "Spiegel" reports, there was a mix-up that could ruin three policemen financially.
The crew consisting of pilot, co-pilot and flight operator, landed twice during the exercise at Stendal airfield in Saxony-Anhalt. There, they refueled their Eurocopter 135, but unfortunately with the wrong fuel. At the end of the exercise, the damage was noted during the routine inspection: The turbines were virtually burned out, the technicians reported. The Federal Police had several ways to repair the damage, learned the "Spiegel": This included a major overhaul of the engines or an exchange for used turbines. It was decided to install new turbines, which was the fastest but also the most expensive solution.
The bill should now pay the three policemen: Together exactly 1,072,293.49 euros. Now the union of the police representing the occupation is arguing with the Federal Ministry of the Interior about the legality of the claim.
Sorry, I can not insert a link...
Removing English language elements and searching for "Stendal Saxony-Anhalt Eurocopter 135 Spiegel" I turned up the following German language articles:
https://www.spiegel.de/plus/bundespo...0-000165579685
https://www.heute.at/s/falsch-getank...ahlen-43310805
Although I neither speak nor read German, <bundespolizei beamte tankten falschen sprit> and <Falsch getankt> seem to me to be saying something about wrong fuel!
I note with interest the German word <Hubschrauber>, from the second link, which apparently means "helicopter", I suspect sometimes that German is best appreciated by non speakers...
Edit: also this link:
https://polizistmensch.de/2019/08/fi...ersatz-zahlen/
https://www.spiegel.de/plus/bundespo...0-000165579685
https://www.heute.at/s/falsch-getank...ahlen-43310805
Although I neither speak nor read German, <bundespolizei beamte tankten falschen sprit> and <Falsch getankt> seem to me to be saying something about wrong fuel!
I note with interest the German word <Hubschrauber>, from the second link, which apparently means "helicopter", I suspect sometimes that German is best appreciated by non speakers...
Edit: also this link:
https://polizistmensch.de/2019/08/fi...ersatz-zahlen/
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In 1981 we ran some helicopters ,Astars, B206 and 500's (LTS 101 and C20Bs) on avgas for 5 days not knowing about it, our fuel drums were filled with avgas instead of jetB (still using jetB at the time) a couple of days later an AME noticed a white powder inside the exhaust of the Astar and phoned around trying to figure out what it was, he found out it was lead from the burned avgas doing it.
We stopped the operation for 2 days until new drums of JetB showed up and simply started working again. Nobody ever had any problems from it, at least on the job we were on.
JD
We stopped the operation for 2 days until new drums of JetB showed up and simply started working again. Nobody ever had any problems from it, at least on the job we were on.
JD
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This old thread touches on the likely issue, lead contamination of the turbine blade surfaces (not overheating). See: Diesel or avgas in a turbine engine
I would have thought leaded fuels in the eco-conscious EU would be a no-no. Interesting to know what fuel they inadvertently used. Obviously, the operator shouldn't have any claim against the flight crew for using the wrong fuel, no?
A gas turbine will run on Avgas though not so efficiently. The problem is that there is no lubricant in the fuel so pumps and metering devices suffer.
The old Turmo III on the 330 Puma would run on anything. Avgas required a couple of litres of oil tossed in the tanks before refuelling.
The old Turmo III on the 330 Puma would run on anything. Avgas required a couple of litres of oil tossed in the tanks before refuelling.
Turbines are frequently permitted to use Avgas, but limitations are spelled out in the manual. The PT-6 in the King Air is permitted 150Hrs on Avgas hours between engine overhauls.
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A gas turbine will run on Avgas though not so efficiently. The problem is that there is no lubricant in the fuel so pumps and metering devices suffer.
The old Turmo III on the 330 Puma would run on anything. Avgas required a couple of litres of oil tossed in the tanks before refuelling.
The old Turmo III on the 330 Puma would run on anything. Avgas required a couple of litres of oil tossed in the tanks before refuelling.
The Turmo used in the Puma descended from the gas turbines used in French railway trials. Not only were they bulletproof simple but they would run them on diesel.
My experience with them was that they would run on anything you threw at it. Pigeons, sparrows, bats, it didn't matter.
My experience with them was that they would run on anything you threw at it. Pigeons, sparrows, bats, it didn't matter.
