[Wendy Lenden]

During the pre flight checks yesterday, I drained what looked like a clear sample of Avgas, on closer inspection and a sniff, it was all water, 2nd and 3rd all water. same from the wing drains. It has'nt rained much since the aircraft flew last, it's not usually a problem, odd drops of water, but not much, even though the aircraft is in a field. Does anyone know what daily fuel tests are carried out at fuel pumps before fuel is sold.

[Rupert S]

no but it's a good way of getting people to buy very expensive water

[Steve Morley]

That sounds worrying. Have a word with other owners. You can then eliminate either the pump or your aircraft.

[Neil MacG]

Trying not to have too dark a view, but if others suffered a similar problem on the airfield might there also be the possibility of a malicious element?

If it had been me as a student PPL I don't think I would have picked this up. I've only ever been taught to look for the water IN the Fuel. Have never seen just water only drained.

Is this the first time you've ever seen a p/f fuel check drained like this?

Glad you mentioned it whatever the outcome is 'cos I'll take that bit more care when I'm doing my P/F checks.

Neil

[Dave Phillips]

Poor little Joni..........

[Steve Morley]

If it was malice it would probably not smell of water - yuk - unless the malice extended to walking about with a watering can or something.

Scrotes would probably choose the organic route.

But anyway, the chance is very small compared to the "normal" reasons.

Let us know the outcome Wen....

[Colonel Panic]

Does anyone know what daily fuel tests are carried out at fuel pumps before fuel is sold.

Certainly the fire crew at Shoreham spend 15-20 minutes first thing each morning testing all of the bulk fuel tanks. They are not allowed to sell fuel before these checks are carried out. AIUI, they test for water and sediment. They may well keep a sample in a glass jar for their records too (but am not 100% sure of this).

[Neil MacG]

Which is why you must sniff it and hold it against a white bachground to check its blue! Fuel bowsers are checked every day under CAA regs I believe.

Not sure I would catch something on the sniff test as my olfactory system isn't always reliable. Wife is always saying can't you smell something or another and I usually can't. My Fuel drainer always seem to smell of avgas at anytime.

However - good point about the blue against white background. I must admit I was aware of the blue colour of avgas, but didn't learn that tip about putting it agains a white background. Seems pretty obvious now you mention it.

Neil

[harry remmington]

Wendy,
When/where did you last refuel?
Presume you have an invoice and you can check from fueling logs the time etc.
If you were not the first of the day I would worry about why/who added water.
You could also consider that if your tanks were not full and you haven't flown the a/c for a few weeks, you do get condensation forming which would condense into water...but it does sound a lot....but what is the size of your tester? If its only about 50ml - its not a lot of water, but enough to effect your engine performance.....especially worrying as the engine will start with the residue of fuel in the system and may pack up on take off if you don't do a long ground run.

[Guest]

Fuel samples must be taken daily and retained for a minimum period by all vendors of AVGAS. Contamination at that point is possible, but highly unlikely.

The most likely source of the water in your fuel (particularly in that kind of quantity) is a leaky tank seal or a poorly replaced filler cap.

I have a theory that in the UK, the number of instances of water appearing in fuel by condensation (the usual textbook theory) is vanishingly small, and that 99.99999% of all water found in tanks enters through the hole at the top.

[buzzman]

I know that Elstree test their Avgas pumps each morning for contamination and I suppose other airfields do too.

Your problem sounds too serious to be tank condensation. Did you fill up last time from a 'checked' pump? Is sabotage a possibility or could there be a leak in the filler cap or somewhere else on the system?

My Archer III has awful recessed filler caps that accumulate condensation from the outside of the wing. Provided the cap seals are in tact this is only a problem when the caps are opened and the acumulated water drops into the tank. But even that shouldn't account for two or three tester-fulls.

Let us know what the reason was when you find it.

Jon

[Wendy Lenden]

Don't think there was any malice involved in this. The strip does'nt have any passing access, and the dog would have anyone lurking around. Don't even know where the last batch of fuel came from. Just so pleased my addiction to the smell of Avgas was useful, have to confess, I always have a sniff even if it looks ok. But imagine just jumping in without doing any checks.
Wow, so many postings while I was typing, the aircraft had'nt flown since Sun, that's when it was refuelled last, it had about 3 1/2 hours fuel on board, but not full, (long range tanks) the seals on the fuel caps were replaced at last annual. I always sit and let the oil warm up before departure, the engine appeared to be running smoothly so off I went, after another round of fuel draining before boarding.Lovely day it was too.

[AfricanEagle]

Neil,

when in doubt because the sample doesn't look blue enough and you have a bad cold, spit in the sample. If it is fuel the spit will sink, if its water it will float.


AE