Transporting Mogas to Airplane?

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kblitchington
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Transporting Mogas to Airplane?

Post by kblitchington »

I'm the owner of a new SuperStol and am asking for advice on transporting fuel to our non fuel airport.

Thanks, Ken Blitchington
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AV8R Paul
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Re: Transporting Mogas to Airplane?

Post by AV8R Paul »

I usually use 5 gallon gas cans. I have 3 and that will usually top off the tanks.
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av8rps
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Re: Transporting Mogas to Airplane?

Post by av8rps »

I've tried a roll around 30 gallon unit with a hand pump, but found it too cumbersome to haul in my vehicle. So like most, I use 5 or 6 gallon cans. I rigged up a ladder that will hold the can higher than the tank and use a jiggle-type siphon hose to transfer the fuel, as it's too hard to hold that large of a can.

My latest trend in fueling however has been to use 2 1/2 gallon cans and pour them directly in. I have 10 cans and find it easy to deal with the smaller, much lighter cans, even though it takes more trips up and down to the fuel filler. Oh, and no ladder or siphon hose required :D
av8rps
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Re: Transporting Mogas to Airplane?

Post by av8rps »

I've tried a roll around 30 gallon unit with a hand pump, but found it too cumbersome to haul in my vehicle. So like most, I use 5 or 6 gallon cans. I rigged up a ladder that will hold the can higher than the tank and use a jiggle-type siphon hose to transfer the fuel, as it's too hard to hold that large of a can.

My latest trend in fueling however has been to use 2 1/2 gallon cans and pour them directly in. No ladder or siphon hose required :D
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gkremers
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Re: Transporting Mogas to Airplane?

Post by gkremers »

I use a Flo Fast 21 gallon system. I also bought two 5 gallon containers. Bring the 5 gal containers to the gas station. The Flow Fast quickly pumps the fuel from the 5 gal containers into the 21 gal system. I always use a mister funnel when pumping from the 5 gal containers into the larger containers. The hose easily reaches the top of the wing. I did buy another 5 ft of hose to extend the length when the plane is on floats.

Gary
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moving2time
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Re: Transporting Mogas to Airplane?

Post by moving2time »

When I visited the Just Factory, Troy used a special gas can that is used in the auto racing industry that he carries over his shoulder and the in-line nozzle has a pressure release valve that opens when the weight of the can presses the nozzle to the fuel tank. Seemed to work quite well and emptied fairly quickly. I asked him where he purchased it and he said to look at racing supply type auto parts stores. He obviously goes through several of these a day at the factory so he does have several of them. I don't remember but I'm thinking that they were about 5 gallons. As mentioned earlier they get quite heavy trying to hold them for what seems like for ever over the fuel tank on a ladder. I keep telling myself to look for this item but I have not tried looking for one yet. I use 2 standard 5 gallon tanks and it takes way to long leaning over a ladder to fill up the fuel tank. Joe B
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SheepdogRD
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Re: Transporting Mogas to Airplane?

Post by SheepdogRD »

I believe this is the type of can Troy is using.
Tuff Jug Fuel Can.jpg
The Tuff Jug sells for around $40, and is available at https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-g8007-4 or on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Tuff-Jug-TJ1R-Gas ... ref=sr_1_1.
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R Rinker
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Re: Transporting Mogas to Airplane?

Post by R Rinker »

Our 182 with long range tanks & flint tanks in the wing tips holds 100 gallons & we often have to fuel up with cans. Our plastic gas cans hold 6 gallons. We can set a can on a rib just fine, but with some planes you might want to set it on some kind of protector on top of the wing. To transfer fuel out of the can we use a large diameter, maybe 3/4 (?) ID clear plastic hose that is readily available in hardware stores. Put one of these in the can and into the aircraft fuel tank. Then take another short piece of hose and put it into the gas can. Either use a glove or rag or even just your hand to hold around the can opening and blow "into" the short hose to slightly pressurize the gas can and get the fuel started flowing. It takes one second to get it started. With a decent size ID hose, that can will empty in no time at all. In order to get the last little bit of fuel out of the can, after the siphoning stops, just pour it directly into the next full jug instead of messing around up on the wing with it. I done this hundreds of times and if you have to use simple cans it's the easiest & fastest way I know. Back when we used metal cans, (In Alaska they used to sell gas in 5 gallon steel cans), we always had to pour it through a chamois in a big funnel stuck in the wing tank. When we started using plastic cans, I never found any water or crud in the chamois any more, so I stopped using it. If you use fuel out of a metal drum or container it has to be chamoised or filtered someway because there will always be water & rust in it....always...& don't ever risk that. There is a "potential" danger of static buildup with plastic gas cans. My experience is with metal/aluminum airplanes, and I'm still here...but you have to do a risk assessment of this with a fabric airplane. It sounds like many, many are using plastic cans up on the wing in some fashion, and if any have blown up from static I guess it hasn't made the news??
Rodger Rinker - Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada
moving2time
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Re: Transporting Mogas to Airplane?

Post by moving2time »

I like Rodger's method. On occasion I have used the clear tubing he talks about to drain the main fuel tank on my J-3 Cub with the gas can on the floor. Feed the tube well into the tank and plug the open end to trap the fuel in the tubing and pull the loose end down to the gas can and release the plug into the gas can. Once the fuel you trapped in the tube is below the tank it drains itself. Nice idea using the smaller second tube to pump the gas up out of a can above the wing and into the wing tank. I have used a taller ladder to tie off the gas can and keep it off of the Cub's wing however, now that we are thinking about it, It might be even better tying a line over both wing tanks from the rafters and use a hook to hang that gas can just above the wing. Unfortunately I didn't use the smaller tube to use pressure to start the fuel I did the old suck on the tube "carefully" to get the gas flowing. I think I am going to tie off a line from the rafters over the main fuel tank and wing tank for my Cub and get a smaller line to get things flowing. That would beat holding several cans by hand on a ladder. Joe B
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Re: Transporting Mogas to Airplane?

Post by dkshow »

I may end up putting an aluminum tank and a nice electric pump in the bed of my truck one day but until then I've been using No Spill gas cans. They work really well. I have 2 five gallons and 2 two and a half cans. Generally, I'll lift the 2.5gal up on the wing and hold the button to fuel my plane then refill the 2.5, it's just easier to lift than the 5 gal. The 2.5s fit really nicely right behind the seats as well when you're on a cross-country and want an extra hour of fuel. It's not as fast as a pump somewhere but so far they work really well.
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Tony Armour
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Re: Transporting Mogas to Airplane?

Post by Tony Armour »

One minute, fifteen seconds for five gallons. Fits in the filler neck and until you are down to about a half gallon the weight keeps it open. I'm confident that anyone that tries one will love it ! It's painless. I will use a Mr. Funnel when filling the jugs, not into the airplane.
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stede52
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Re: Transporting Mogas to Airplane?

Post by stede52 »

Tony Armour wrote:One minute, fifteen seconds for five gallons. Fits in the filler neck and until you are down to about a half gallon the weight keeps it open. I'm confident that anyone that tries one will love it ! It's painless. I will use a Mr. Funnel when filling the jugs, not into the airplane.
I really liked these for my Highlander and used them for years, the only issue I had with them is that the O-rings would go hard and flatten and cause it to leak. I called the manufacture and they happily supplied me with extra o-rings.
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Johnny C!
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Re: Transporting Mogas to Airplane?

Post by Johnny C! »

I have two 5 gallon Tuff Jugs,
and I need to order one more.

They work great.

John



SheepdogRD wrote:I believe this is the type of can Troy is using.
Tuff Jug Fuel Can.jpg
The Tuff Jug sells for around $40, and is available at https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-g8007-4 or on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Tuff-Jug-TJ1R-Gas ... ref=sr_1_1.
There are many things that happen really fast when you are
flying an airplane. There is no sense in rushing any of the others.

I would much rather be looking down at the runway, than up at it.

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