Private runway folks - How do you refuel?

[bagem]

Just curious how those of you who almost exclusively fly in and out of private grass strips refuel. Do you transport fuel in containers to your planes? Or do you purposely fly into places that sell fuel just to refuel?

[Mnflyer]

Hi I have a 260 gal fuel oil tank right in my hangar with a 12 VDC pump on it and have the local bulk guy deliver 91 oct. no alcohol fuel to me. For the Champ I have a barrel outside the hangar for 100 LL.

[Slyfox]

I don't have a private runway of sorts. I believe anytime I'm on the runway it's mine, so I guess I qualify. Anyway, I use premium fuel from the local gas station. Yup it has the ethenol as well. I have two steel 5gal cans. I fill those up seal the opening, mine seal real good and throw them in the back of the pickup, yup I throw them in. I get to the airport and there I have a 5 gal plastic jug that I got from the local motorcycle shop, kind of like filling a nas car. I fill the plastic jug and than climb up a ladder and fill the airplane, no mess, nice and fast. I tip the jug up, it has a long hose, and let her go, making sure I touch the fill tube to the sides of the neck of the tank on the plane, makes sure no static problem. I fill from the steel to the plastic jug on a cement floor. Been doing this for 5 years now with no problems.

[Lion8]

I hanger at a private airfield as well. The way I fuel up is to pull the plane away from the hanger, place my gas container on top of a ladder and insert a 5/8" clear tube with a primer bulb in the middle. I start the fuel flow while do my preflight. You can make your own siphon hose from FDA grade 1/2" or bigger clear tubing and a primer built from a marine shop (boat store). I'm going to do the same thing with the fuel tank in the back of the pick up and a 12v automobile submersible fuel pump.
I also mix 100ll with auto fuel. In doing this I get the higher octane and cut the percentage of ethanol. Incidently, I use the clear blue fuel lines on the engine. The stay pliable throughout the flying season.

[wildirishtime]

So has anyone come up with a simple (read cheap) electric pump that I can pump gas out of small vesells into my tanks? Ive done some serious google searching and can't find anything very suitable. Anyone ever tried a car inline fuel pump? success or failure?

I want a clean safe way to easily move 5-10 gallons to my wing tanks in the field while out flying with no ladder.

Thanks
~Wild

[Tom Waid]

Click Here!

This may be what you're looking for. It's a bit pricey and, please note, the pump is extra.

I hope this is helpful.

Tom

[Slyfox]

years ago I use to fuel up my bassboat. How I did it was take a tank on the truck (I had three)and made it just for the boat. I than hosed from that tank and had a Ford frame rail pump(that's what we called them in the early 90's for the ford truck) and had everything hosed with a valve for the system. Worked very nice, just pull the hose out and stick it in the boat, open the valve and turn on the pump.

[wildirishtime]

Do you remember if your frame rail pump had enough pressure
to lift the fuel UP to wing height? Also, how long did it take
to fill 10 gallons? I thought those were high pressure very low
volume... but I have time and that's cheap enough if it will
lift vertically. Thanks!

[Slyfox]

Actually I worked at ford at the time and the one I used was a takeoff for a replacement. It worked very well and the amount of time was to me very fast to fill up the boat. If I were to do this again I wouldn't hesitate to use one again, maybe go to Motion auto parts and get one.

[Dave S]

Our fueling is done with 5 gallon plastic cans - keep 4 of them filled with 91 octane non-corn gas in a shed away from the airport - then throw them in the back of the pickup when it is time to fly.

Probably just me; but, I see hoisting the cans over the wing as a way to get some of the benefits of a health club without the membership fees. I had trouble with the health club folks anyway when I brought my full gas cans into the establishment for weight training..........

Another deal with doing one's own fueling - we use a tractor funnel with a chamois strapped over the top - this will catch any water and crud - I have found that some gas stations are more generous with water and crud than others - helps one with selecting a gas station.

Sincerely,
Dave S
KF7 Trigear
912ULS Warp