>Hi from South Africa.
>
>Restrictions on our "experimental" aircraft are less severe here,
>consequently many South African homebuilders have been running their
>engines (certified and other) on Mogas for many years. We thus have some
>experience with filling from containers or fuel pumps, especially into
>ungrounded fuel tanks. The big bang theory is alive, our lost loss was
>beautiful Skybolt that burnt to the ground in less than three minutes.
>Two problems arise.
>1. The sloshing has created some potential in the tank, and upon
>bringing the fuel filler nozzle (earthed nicely) to the tank - poooooof.
>2. The process of fuel transfer (from a pump or siphon from a container)
>generates static as the tank fills (swirling sloshing and fuel movement
>through the filler hose) - pooooof.
>
>Most of us have a "little bare wire" with a weight on it that we drop
>into the tank and connect with a crocodile clip to the fuel filler
>nozzle (done physically away from the opening of the tank) avoiding poof
>no 1 by moving the spark (if any) away from the fuel filler with its
>lovely source of vapours. The filler nozzle is then brought to the tank
>and left connected during the filling process avoiding poof no 2.
>
>The downside - you need an accessory that has to be left in your plane.
>Hope this helps or perhaps you can develop a variation on the theme!!
>
>Regards
>Mark Beekhuizen
>
We haven't had this problem with a Europa yet, but there is always a first
time!
Although we have not yet done this, it would be quite straightforward to
ground the filler cap to the fuel tank - the tank end can conveniently be
grounded at one of the fuel outlet fittings; the combination can then be
grounded to the aircraft ground. This way the installation would be
protected for conventional fuelling with the bowser earth connected to the
exhaust as normal.
Roger
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