Hot Fueling - Safety, or Paranoia?

[iChris]

If you were hot fueling R44s all day, five days a week, would you wear Nomex gloves/face mask and eye protection?

 

...or is that just being ridiculous?

 

Hot refueling is used, and will continue to be used, extensively in the utility world. However, when you’re talking about an R22/R44, Piston engines, and aviation gasoline, you should be aware of the additional risks.

 

At a minimum, protection should be flame resistant clothing, or all cotton or wool clothing, long-sleeve shirts with sleeves down, long-legged trousers, and cotton or wool undergarments, leather or petroleum resistant gloves, hearing, and eye protection.

 

Under NFPA rules only turbine engine helicopters fueled with aviation turbine fuels shall be permitted to receive fuel while an engine is operating. All sources of ignition must be located above the fuel inlet ports, vents or tank openings. Ignition sources include engines, exhausts, APUs and combustion-type cabin heater exhausts.

 

If you look at the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for TURBINE FUEL and AVIATION GASOLINE you’ll see why:

 

TURBINE FUEL

Flashpoint: (+100 °F) (Min)

Auto ignition: (410 °F)

 

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

- COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID AND VAPOR

- HARMFUL OR FATAL IF SWALLOWED

- MAY CAUSE RESPIRATORY TRACT IRRITATION IF INHALED

- CAUSES SKIN IRRITATION

- POSSIBLE CANCER HAZARD - MAY CAUSE CANCER BASED ON ANIMAL DATA

- TOXIC TO AQUATIC ORGANISMS

 

AVIATION GASOLINE

Flashpoint: (-51 °F) (Min)

Auto ignition: (824 °F)

 

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

- EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE LIQUID AND VAPOR. VAPOR MAY CAUSE FLASH FIRE

- HARMFUL OR FATAL IF SWALLOWED

- CAUSES EYE AND SKIN IRRITATION

- MAY CAUSE RESPIRATORY TRACT IRRITATION IF INHALED

- VAPOR HARMFUL

Edited September 8, 2013 by iChris

[eagle5]

At a minimum, protection should be flame resistant clothing, or all cotton or wool clothing, long-sleeve shirts with sleeves down, long-legged trousers, and cotton or wool undergarments, leather or petroleum resistant gloves, hearing, and eye protection.

 

 

Unfortunately this particular operator imposes a uniform of shorts and a short-sleeved pilot shirt! As I've mentioned, I'm kinda glad I didn't get hired, and most likely won't be applying for the next season.

 

Wool underwear in Myrtle Beach in the Summer ,...wow that would feel awesome!

Edited September 8, 2013 by eagle5

[Flying Pig]

Who the heck wears wool underwear!??

[aeroscout]

quit flying if "yet" scares you

Who the eff are you ?

I haven't heard a more specious comment.

Goldy has nothing to prove to you. You can't hold a candle to the credibility he has on this forum.

[iChris]

 

Wool underwear in Myrtle Beach in the Summer ,...wow that would feel awesome!

 

 

Who the heck wears wool underwear!??

 

The needs in Florida or California are nil, but there are cold workdays in Alaska, Wisconsin, Maine, North Dakota, and Minnesota you’ll wish for wool.

 

Rough and scratchy wool clothing is a thing of the past. The newer style wools are much finer and feel soft like cotton. Wool offers naturally high UV protection and fire resistance.

 

Minus33 has a complete line:

 

http://www.minus33.com/

[Flying Pig]

quit flying if "yet" scares you

Its a good mindset to have. Its not a matter of IF, its WHEN. He never said he was scared of the idea.