FlyingMonkey Posted December 2, 2013 Report Share Posted December 2, 2013 There is a great action movie, "Ronin", starring Robert De Niro, involving a bunch of freelance ex-spies and mercenaries. One of De Niro's great lines in the movie is "When there is doubt, there is no doubt." What he means is that if you have any doubt about whether you can trust a person or situation, you can't. Being big fans of the movie, my wife and I have adopted this attitude regarding flying. For example, the other day we took off for a little sight-seeing, and five minutes into the flight my wife said she smelled gasoline. I could not smell anything unusual, but she swore there was an odor, and that it was not dissipating. After a couple of minutes of feeling the bottom of sight tubes and sniffing around the cockpit (I still smelled nothing), she said "what do you think?" I said "I think when there is doubt, there is no doubt," and I turned back to the airport. We landed safely and checked everything out, and Kellie could no longer smell anything once we were on the ground. We took off again 20 minutes later and had a great flight, the odor never returned. We lost 30 minutes total, no problem at all. So that is our flying catch phrase, and has become a shorthand between us for taking the safest, most conservative course of action. Doubt about the weather? Don't take off. Doubt about a mechanical defect? Fix it or have it checked out before flying. Something not working right in the air? Land. When anything causes doubt, there should be no doubt about what to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Cesnalis Posted December 2, 2013 Report Share Posted December 2, 2013 My girlfriend has smelled gas on every flight for 8 years now. I haven't smelled it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastEddieB Posted December 2, 2013 Report Share Posted December 2, 2013 Diet related? Then again, the smeller is the feller! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastEddieB Posted December 2, 2013 Report Share Posted December 2, 2013 Back to Andy's post... ...in all seriousness, it personifies what is sometimes called "The Most Conservative Action" rule. Has held me in good stead over the years. IOW, "If in doubt, check it out!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Cesnalis Posted December 2, 2013 Report Share Posted December 2, 2013 Diet related? Then again, the smeller is the feller! No she smells gasoline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted December 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2013 My girlfriend has smelled gas on every flight for 8 years now. I haven't smelled it yet. I wonder if there is something on the right side of the plane that is easier to smell to the passenger? I can't think of what it might be, but all the women of the world can't be wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Cesnalis Posted December 2, 2013 Report Share Posted December 2, 2013 I think its male vs female not left vs right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WmInce Posted December 2, 2013 Report Share Posted December 2, 2013 Consider switching to the phrase from the Captain Ron movie, Kurt Russel as Capt. Ron says it twice. When the newbie sailors question going out on a broken down boat into questionable conditions. Captain Ron says not to worry: Well if anything's going to happen it's going to happen out there. Love it! Lots of good "one liners" in that movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karl Posted December 2, 2013 Report Share Posted December 2, 2013 The small amount of Mogas on the fuel dipstick and fuel inspection container stored in aircraft will do it for most. We noticed fuel smell in side aircraft afther the flying club changed from avgas to mogas . Most times when you have refueled before take of you would have got it whiff of it and become senceticed Not so you your passenger. Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted December 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2013 The small amount of Mogas on the fuel dipstick and fuel inspection container stored in aircraft will do it for most. We noticed fuel smell in side aircraft afther the flying club changed from avgas to mogas . Most times when you have refueled before take of you would have got it whiff of it and become senceticed Not so you your passenger. Karl That was suggested to me, but I always wipe off the stick with a paper towel after dipping. It's possible I forgot to wipe it that day or there was still some smelly residue on the stick I guess. If so I would almost certainly be accustomed to it as you say. This is the reason I leave my fuel tester on the ground unless I'm flying cross country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted December 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2013 I dont store the gascolator or dip stick or other rags in the plane unless I am travelling. then i put them in a zip lock bag. Be careful, gasoline can dissolve the soft plastic of a Ziploc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Jefts Posted December 2, 2013 Report Share Posted December 2, 2013 If you smell mogas it's best to be very cautious. On a new airplane during the initial taxi, I smelled gas so we taxied back in. Final analysis showed a leaky fuel valve behind the dash on the return line. It was a CTLSi so there is a return line to the header tank on that airplane. There was a fine spray of fuel. Not good if you introduce a spark behind the dash. New fuel valve was installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted December 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 If you smell mogas it's best to be very cautious. On a new airplane during the initial taxi, I smelled gas so we taxied back in. Final analysis showed a leaky fuel valve behind the dash on the return line. It was a CTLSi so there is a return line to the header tank on that airplane. There was a fine spray of fuel. Not good if you introduce a spark behind the dash. New fuel valve was installed. When we landed one of the things I did was pull the center panel and put my hand on the fuel valve and fuel filter connections. Dry as a bone. That was my worst fear though, with all the electricals back there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppercity Posted December 3, 2013 Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 No signs of any fuel leaking at the wing root, sight tubes, cover the sight tubes attach to? I had a slight seap at the fuel outlet of my left tank I found during the 1200hr wing inspection. Not enough to really show a leak at the root, but some staining at the outlet tube and just a faint smell of fuel once in awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted December 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 No signs of any fuel leaking at the wing root, sight tubes, cover the sight tubes attach to? I had a slight seap at the fuel outlet of my left tank I found during the 1200hr wing inspection. Not enough to really show a leak at the root, but some staining at the outlet tube and just a faint smell of fuel once in awhile. No sign of any of that. I'll look again carefully next time I'm at the hangar, but I think in this case it was just a false alarm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3flyer Posted December 3, 2013 Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 Just to echo Andy and Eddie's credo. I was returning my daughter to the Air Force Academy after an all-to-brief visit home and I smelled hot oil as did my daughter. It was summertime in Dallas and we were on an extended climb to cool air. Temps were fine but I turned around anyway. She had get back to Academy for duty so I put her on Southwest. Turned out to be nothing, just a little oil burning off the engine from my recent oil change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted December 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2013 Just to echo Andy and Eddie's credo. I was returning my daughter to the Air Force Academy after an all-to-brief visit home and I smelled hot oil as did my daughter. It was summertime in Dallas and we were on an extended climb to cool air. Temps were fine but I turned around anyway. She had get back to Academy for duty so I put her on Southwest. Turned out to be nothing, just a little oil burning off the engine from my recent oil change. Congrats on your daughter's appointment to Colorado Springs. You must be very proud of her! Does she plan to fly, or do something else for the Air Force? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3flyer Posted December 5, 2013 Report Share Posted December 5, 2013 She decided the 10 year commitment was more than she was willing to sign up for so she's flying a desk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anticept Posted December 5, 2013 Report Share Posted December 5, 2013 She decided the 10 year commitment was more than she was willing to sign up for so she's flying a desk 10 year commitment flying military planes is more than anyone is willing to sign up for? These kind of people exist?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT4ME Posted December 5, 2013 Report Share Posted December 5, 2013 We used to have the "I smell gas" incidents... I never smelled it, but the drip trays had sticky greenish gummy stuff. After a cleanup of carb bowl and replacing the gaskets, the drip trays have been clean and no gas smells. ps... I didn't smell gas even when I knew it was leaking inside the panel and could see it weeping through by my right knee... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted December 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2013 We used to have the "I smell gas" incidents... I never smelled it, but the drip trays had sticky greenish gummy stuff. After a cleanup of carb bowl and replacing the gaskets, the drip trays have been clean and no gas smells. ps... I didn't smell gas even when I knew it was leaking inside the panel and could see it weeping through by my right knee... I was refueling yesterday, and there were some fresh fuel stain streaks on top of the right wing going back from the fuel cap. When she smelled the gas we were flying with about 30 gallons on board...I wonder if some gas sloshed out the vent or if the cap was not really tight enough (hard to imagine, I crank them down tight). Visible gas in the cockpit leaking from behind a panel filled with electrical stuff?? I'd probably switch to 121.5 and slip down a to quick landing, that's scary stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Cesnalis Posted December 5, 2013 Report Share Posted December 5, 2013 If you slip or skid your turns a little in a CTSW fuel will vent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted December 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2013 If you slip or skid your turns a little in a CTSW fuel will vent. Yeah, I try to stay coordinated, but it's possible with that much fuel in the airplane I was just enough out to cause some venting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted December 5, 2013 Report Share Posted December 5, 2013 At 30 gallons I have had it splash out of the vents while taxiing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted December 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2013 At 30 gallons I have had it splash out of the vents while taxiing. Very possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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