Don’t rush to sump

Stop dumping sump fuel

Most of us have either done it ourselves or have watched another pilot do it. With our fuel tester in hand, we move wing to wing during preflight, sampling the fuel from the aircraft’s lowest points. We hold the tester at eye level to check for sediment and water, and then, without thinking, we dump the sump fuel on the ramp or in the grass. If this is true for you, let’s revisit a few regulations and better practices and retrain our brains to form a new habit.

It is generally understood that 100LL constitutes hazardous waste when it is not stored in a secure, contained environment. Its lead additive is corrosive to ramp surfaces and carcinogenic to humans. The Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and their amendments were landmark laws that laid the groundwork for current restrictions on the use of lead, and alluded to the adverse environmental impact of leaded fuel, which resulted in its eventual elimination for use in automobiles in the 1990s.

Since no federal regulations cover this practice, it is the pilot’s obligation to learn the specific limits and consequences of dumping sump fuel in a particular state, municipality, or airport. Check with your departing airport whether they provide fuel collecting sites or whether you need to bring your own. The state of Florida, for example, takes environmental concerns seriously. A violation of its hazardous waste laws can draw a fine of up to $50,000 per day.

Better practices 

Don’t rush to sump; let the contaminants settle. Depending on the size of your aircraft’s fuel tanks, 15 minutes may pass before any particulates sink after refueling. Reposition the airplane away from the refueling station and let the fuel settle before testing and restarting your engine.

The popular gasoline analysis test separator, or GATS jar, regularly receives two thumbs-up for efficiently filtering debris. Still, reviews are mixed over whether the fuel sample is purified from water contamination. Proper preparation of the jar’s filtration screen prevents water from reentering the tank when the sample is recycled. Always pre-coat the GATS screen with fuel. It creates a barrier against water droplets passing through the fine mesh screen. You can then safely reuse the fuel.

Dumping sump fuel into the air, on the ramp, or on the grass is never an option. If your tester is not filtered and your fuel sample contains sediment or water droplets, sump the tank until the sample is clear of particulates and deposit the contaminated fuel into a community vat. If there isn’t one at your airfield, don’t be shy. Ask the airport manager to provide one. For more information, see “All About Fuel” on faasafety.gov.

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