totter

That is why the fuel should be sampled at the source (fuel truck or tank) before flight ops each day. If you purchase fuel from an airport concession then it is their responsibilty to sample the supply each day. An airport vendor would not want the liabilty that comes with Hot Fueling and must likely wouldn't allow it. Anyway, it would be very difficult to detect water in Jet A right after fueling being that the water would be entrained in the fuel. Contaminants most likely would not have time to reach the sumps unless the aircraft sat for an extended period of time and we all know that wouldn't happen. Now that is for a turbine aircraft. Hot fueling a piston aircraft is just plain stupid and is dangerous.

Just to add, Fire Marshalls are not ignorant when it comes to aircraft. Ours, at the time, would not allow us to Hot Fuel the first Caravan we had due to the fact that the engine exhaust is lower than the RH Inboard Fueling point. This was an early model Caravan that had two fuel fillers per wing. We were able to demonstrate that by Hot Fueling from the Outboard Fueling points only that there was sufficant distance between the OB Fuel Filler and the Exhaust to negate any hazards. We also Hot Fueled our Helicopter, the Alloette we had, since the Fuel Filler was lower than the engine.

Good post Dave!!

911 You don't need to contact the Fire Marshall before everytime you fuel. You contact the Fire Marshall to ask permission to Hot Fuel on a continuous basis. The Fire Marshall then comes to inspect your fuel system and the way you fuel the aircraft (i.e. is a ground used) and then the Fire Marshall grants permission to the operator to Hot or Not to Hot Fuel. If the Fire Marshall comes and does a spot inspection and sees that what you had told him would be done but wasn't next comes the hefty fine. I believe my profile answers that one, but for you: I worked at Skydive Crosskeys for 6 years, as a loader, hangar master, manifester, aircraft mechanic and ,YES, aircraft fueler. Actually Alaska. The 135 company I work for is not allowed, by their OPs Spec, to Hot Fuel. I know for the longest time Z-Hills wasn't able to Hot Fuel because the Fire MArshall wouldn't allow it. Don't know if that is still the case.

OH, But its not sarcasm. Its actually how its done. That was sarcasm>

Well, it is clear that you do not know your FAA Regs. Procedures for Hot Fuelling are not required for Part 91 operations. As a matter of fact the FAA has no say whether a Part 91 operator may hot fuel or not. It is up to the DZ's local Fire Marshall. But a Part 135 or 121 operation must have FAA approval as part of their OPs Specs and the procedure must be in their GOM.

Twin Otter: 1) Start truck/farm 2) Attach ground 3) If fuel quantity inaccurate stick tank for pilot after opening rear tank. 4) Signal pilot if tank stuck and pilot will tell how much to add. Pump in requested amount. Pump slow or you will take a bath. 5) If fuel quant ind is good watch pilot's hand signals for stopping the pumping process. 6) Close aft tank filler cap and make sure it is locked. Slide safety over cap if installed. 7) Very, very carefully slide your way to the fwd tank keeping in mind the spinny thing 10 inches from your head. 8) Repeat process as for aft tank. 9) When finish walk towards REAR of aircraft before moving away. 10) Remove ground wire and off you go.

Caravan: 1) Start fuel truck/farm again. 2) Hook ground to closest wheel. 3) Grab a taller ladder and fuel nozzle. 4) Set ladder up at pilot side outboard fuel filler. 5) Climb ladder, open fuel filler, insert the nozzle and pump in 35 gallons, (varies by DZ), curse when you've pumped to fast and back pressure sprays it over you and the de-ice boot. 6) Close cap and lock, pound on it to make sure its locked. 7) Climb down ladder, move away. 8) Unhook ground and off you go.

King Air: 1) Start fuel truck or turn on fuel farm. 2) Attach ground to aircraft after stopping. 3) Grab nozzle and ladder. 4) Fish fuel nozzle under aircraft to far side (co-pilot side). 5) Lean ladder up against nacelle. 6) If pilot hasn't feathered prop, pull ladder back down, jump up and down, yell and scream until pilot feathers prop. 7) Lean ladder back up against nacelle. 8) Take deep breath before climbing ladder. 9) Climb ladder, unlock cap and open. 10) Insert nozzle, start fueling and cursing because you are wearing a short sleeve shirt. 11) Fill nacelle tank to top. 12) Close and lock cap. Pound with fist to make sure its locked. 13) Climb down ladder, move everything over to pilot's side 14) Repeat process with even more cursing since pilot is now laughing at you. 15) Un hook ground wire and off you go.

Ah, the days I miss of hot fueling the nacelle tanks on a King Air. Standing on a shaky 6 foot ladder, 400C exhaust gases blowing on you and sucking them into your lungs, having to snake the fuel line and ladder under the plane to reach the opposite side. Hot fueling a Twin Otter, 10 inches from the LH Prop while filling the forward tank or having a gallon of Jet A spew back on you from back pressure. Ah, Good Time - good times. Climbing out on the wing of a Casa, or up between the engines (thru the hatch) on a Skyvan. Never did it, though, without someone sitting in the left seat.

That's right My bad. Andi is WIN; Rampart is, a.k.a. Fayard Enterprises. Fayard did a lot of MX for Andri and I was used to seeing one of his aircraft at Lewisburg on a regular basis. Got them mixed up.

WIN Aviation; a.k.a. Fayard Enterprises. Paul was the first and only person that I've know to install this type of door in place of the swing up co-pilot door. His 300 HP 182 was the first I believe. With the roll up door I don't believe that there is any airspeed limitation to opening the door, like with the swing up. The downside that I've heard of is that if you're a tall pilot the door will grease the top of your head.

It depends on the type of floats installed. CAP floats are the original OEM float install and can be found in the Twin Otter manuals, but can only be installed with the short nose. Wipline 13000 floats can be installed with the long nose.

There are a few -300 series with the stubby noses also. Check out pix of Maldivian Air Taxi, (MAT for short).

Not to slide off topic: Sorry to correct you Dave, but about 80% of the air drawn in by a PT6 is used for cooling. Its the way the air is used to cool the engine that leads to shock cooling and cracked cylinders.

K.I.S.S. - Keep it simple stupid. Not calling you stupid, but from a relabilty/maintenance stand point there is another company ,(from that hemisphere), that incorporated a lot a bell and wistle type systems that can be rather problematic. It has been a 4 years since I've worked on a PAC, so they may have modified things, but a motorized inertial seperator may sound cool, but there are to many pieces to fail (i.e. motor, microswitches). Asymetrical flap cut-off that was problematic. Used springs, magnets and microswitches. In response to sundevil777's comment about a bailout rig, maybe it could be a seat type container, like you see the in old WWII fighter pilot pictures, but designed as an actual part of the seat (i.e. cushion). I'm sure that Bill Booth, if he doesn't already have some type of design, could come up with something.

If you don't mind answering; "Where are these aircraft operated?" I don't need a specific DZ, just a geographic location will do.

As a foot note to this I just checked the FAA website and the registration to this 182 was re-newed yesterday, the 27th. My post on the 20th, renewal on the 27th. Somebody acted accordingly in the right direction.

Not sure if this DZ is now associated with Skyride, but Alexandria Airport has, for a long time, been home to Skydive East. Looks like someone re-opened the DZ under a different name. The 182, in the Facebook pictures, is registered to a company in Alabama. And a note to anyone that might jump that 182 or fly it, according to the FAA website the registration for that aircraft is EXPIRED. So therefore that aircraft is deemed UNAIRWORTHY.

Hi Rob; I've found out that it is much easier to bring an aircraft into the states then it is to bring one from the states to Canada. The FAA is more willing to "Grandfather" in mods and such for an aircraft from Canada then TC is to recipricate. Case in point: We sold a Turbine Otter to a Canadian individual. It had installed the Capstone ADSB STC w/ Chelton Synthetic Visual 2 screen EFIS. The STC was developed BY the FAA, for the FAA, using FAA DERs. Transport would not approve it until they had revued the data and conducted their own evaluation. Anyway, getting back to the original post, I've PMd with them and their looking at one from Europe.

Depends on which country. If is Canadian registered its not to much of an issue. If its another country you may have a problem. All the US Airworthiness Directives must be complied with and if there are any mods to the aircraft (i.e. foreign STCs) the FAA must accept this as legal in the states. The reason I said Canadian would be easier is because the FAA (thanks to NAFTA) will accept Canadian STCs, 337s more readly. Do a thorough research of the aircraft you're looking at.

From what I understand in reading about the most recent fine and violation levied it was a new requirement (Airworthiness Directive) that was not complied with. New meaning at the time in 2009. It was a new requirement the supercede an old one. Doesn't matter if the old requirement was complied with or not. The new AD takes presidence. The fact that a fine was levied and a violation entered into public record answers that one.

This is two seperate issues. One of the first issues (ie original violations) concerned AD 2008-11-10, which was basically the same type of inspection, but different requirements. In March of 2009 the FAA issued AD 2009-04-09, which supeceded AD 2008-11-10. The Parachute Center had 180 days to comply with this new AD. That brings us to November and the time frame mentioned in the violation. This second violation deals with the failure to comply with this newer AD and flying without it being completed in by November 2009.

The spar adaptors can be thought of as gussets that tie the front spar, inner wing skin and end rib together for strength. There are 3 spars in a Twin Otter wing. 1) The Front (or Nose) Spar. This runs from the engine nacelle to the end rib. The forward wing to fuselage attach fitting is on this spar. This spar also carries the primary thrust loads. 2) The Main Spar, which runs from the end rib to the tip. This is the primary wing structure that carries the flight load. The wing strut is attached to this spar. 3) Rear Spar. This runs from the end rib to the tip. The rear wing to fuselage attach fitting is on the spar.

Aircraft #2 is a stumper. Could be a Piaggio or a Starship, but their engines are in by the wing roots, not the tips. Aircraft #1 is a Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior. Thanks Wikipedia