Hi group,
I thought you might like to be aware of the fact that the fuel tanks in our
airplanes while extremely safe and crashworthy, also have a small quirk
present. Even if the tank is drained and flushed with water repeatedly, the
plastic seems to permeate vapors afterwards. How do I know this you ask?
Last Wednesday I was installing a capacitance fuel gauge in a previously
flying Europa, that we had flushed with water and drained, and in the
process of cutting the 2 inch hole with a heated drill bit and pliers, set
off fumes in the tank when a little piece of the plastic caught fire. (if
you have ever seen a empty alcohol bottle lit with a match, you get the
idea) The tank had been flushed and then had sat overnight. Both of us had
smelled the filler and could not detect any fumes. We where cutting it with
a heated wire, so there wasn't any flame or sparking from an electric tool
present. I only waited a week to tell because it was difficult to type
earlier. The plane is fine and will be ready for it's third lease on life
shortly, and my left hand should be fine in a few weeks. (yes I am a lefty)
It just goes to show you that even when you take what you think are all the
necessary precautions, Murphy is still about. And he isn't very forgiving.
Please be careful and always wear appropriate protection. I shudder when I
think that if my hand had not been in the way it would have been my face.
Jim Thursby
N814AT
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