Fire – (Somebody please).
There is a very large dollop of purblind stupidity, of the type unique to CASA contained within the Part 91 paragraphs posted above. If you ever wanted to identify, with precision, a definitive example of why CASA should not be allowed anywhere near the regulations; this one will serve you very well indeed.
Lets take a short look at what the ‘Reg’ does not mention in a simple operation conducted hundreds of times a day. For simplicity lets use a Cessna 172 at a country airstrip; pulled in to top up the tanks, stretch the legs etc. The aircraft pulls up at the bowser, the passengers toddle off to the bushes, and Pete the pilot gets set up to load fuel. What is the first thing he needs? We may assume the brakes are off and there’s a chock under a convenient wheel, so the aircraft may be pushed quickly and easily out of any spilled fuel without starting the engine.
![[Image: Fuel-1000x600.jpg]](http://www.tuscolaairport.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Fuel-1000x600.jpg)
The second and probably the most important is the attachment of an ‘earth’ or ground wire. Ever get one those ‘static electricity’ shocks when you touch something – well an aircraft can and usually does carry quite a charge after flight; a properly attached ground wire discharges any built up static quite safely back to mother Earth; preventing any chance of a spark igniting vapour. It is a jolly good idea, yet there is no 50 penalty point for failing to attach the wire; thus it remains quite legal not to do so. But no matter – we have the heroic ‘fire extinguishers', close at hand.
(i) must be of a type and capacity suitable for extinguishing fuel and electrical fires;
What, exactly, is an electrical fire? Electricity don’t burn – so we enter the realms of supposition where the cause (or seat) of the fire is electrical; first and foremost in this event we must turn off the electrical power; then we may address the burning material which has actually caught fire. Now then, at a fuel bowser what kind of material do you imagine would be ‘on fire’ – there ain’t much around to burn – except petrol. Which leads us to ‘fuel fed’ fires.
If old Pete has not ‘earthed’ the aircraft and is up on the step ladder with the fuel cap open and the fuel pumping in and there is a static discharge – what do you imagine will happen – if its not his lucky day – WHUMPA is what and a crispy critter to remove from the charred remains of the aircraft the result.
Lets say its still not Pete’s lucky day and there is a small ‘weep’ or wee leak at the pump and there is a ‘spark’ what do you reckon comes next – Uhm – WHUMPA perhaps?
WHUMPA is the noise made when petrol vapours ignite. So we must use a little imagination to identify exactly what manner of fire the CASA genius who penned this twaddle was raving about. We need a recognizable ‘fire and smoke’ situation which Pete can actually see; so upon spotting the fire Pete climbs down the step ladder, walks the 15 meters to the extinguisher, unhooks the unit (not chained to prevent theft), ambles back to the fire and calmly puts the beast out.
Bollocks – fire near a petrol pump – if Pete survived a petrol fuelled fire ignition, he’d be doing 30 knots as he went past the carefully positioned fire extinguishers, screaming for the fire brigade who will stand back (a long way) until it is safe to ‘mop up’; which is most sensible – IMO.
But if your extinguishers are not more than 15 meters and not less than six meters, why you're legally as safe as houses, which is always nice to know. So carry a tape measure and if those extinguishers do not meet the exacting CASA positioning standards after your careful measuring; move those errant things to their correct position. There now all legal, safe and tidy; don’t you just love the CASA safety methodology.
Best load of Bollocks of the year candidate, in a very competitive field. Fuel pump standards (not CASA responsibility) and educated airmanship (not CASA responsibility) all yours for about AUD $100, 000 per page.
Toot – toot.
There is a very large dollop of purblind stupidity, of the type unique to CASA contained within the Part 91 paragraphs posted above. If you ever wanted to identify, with precision, a definitive example of why CASA should not be allowed anywhere near the regulations; this one will serve you very well indeed.
Lets take a short look at what the ‘Reg’ does not mention in a simple operation conducted hundreds of times a day. For simplicity lets use a Cessna 172 at a country airstrip; pulled in to top up the tanks, stretch the legs etc. The aircraft pulls up at the bowser, the passengers toddle off to the bushes, and Pete the pilot gets set up to load fuel. What is the first thing he needs? We may assume the brakes are off and there’s a chock under a convenient wheel, so the aircraft may be pushed quickly and easily out of any spilled fuel without starting the engine.
The second and probably the most important is the attachment of an ‘earth’ or ground wire. Ever get one those ‘static electricity’ shocks when you touch something – well an aircraft can and usually does carry quite a charge after flight; a properly attached ground wire discharges any built up static quite safely back to mother Earth; preventing any chance of a spark igniting vapour. It is a jolly good idea, yet there is no 50 penalty point for failing to attach the wire; thus it remains quite legal not to do so. But no matter – we have the heroic ‘fire extinguishers', close at hand.
(i) must be of a type and capacity suitable for extinguishing fuel and electrical fires;
What, exactly, is an electrical fire? Electricity don’t burn – so we enter the realms of supposition where the cause (or seat) of the fire is electrical; first and foremost in this event we must turn off the electrical power; then we may address the burning material which has actually caught fire. Now then, at a fuel bowser what kind of material do you imagine would be ‘on fire’ – there ain’t much around to burn – except petrol. Which leads us to ‘fuel fed’ fires.
If old Pete has not ‘earthed’ the aircraft and is up on the step ladder with the fuel cap open and the fuel pumping in and there is a static discharge – what do you imagine will happen – if its not his lucky day – WHUMPA is what and a crispy critter to remove from the charred remains of the aircraft the result.
Lets say its still not Pete’s lucky day and there is a small ‘weep’ or wee leak at the pump and there is a ‘spark’ what do you reckon comes next – Uhm – WHUMPA perhaps?
WHUMPA is the noise made when petrol vapours ignite. So we must use a little imagination to identify exactly what manner of fire the CASA genius who penned this twaddle was raving about. We need a recognizable ‘fire and smoke’ situation which Pete can actually see; so upon spotting the fire Pete climbs down the step ladder, walks the 15 meters to the extinguisher, unhooks the unit (not chained to prevent theft), ambles back to the fire and calmly puts the beast out.
Bollocks – fire near a petrol pump – if Pete survived a petrol fuelled fire ignition, he’d be doing 30 knots as he went past the carefully positioned fire extinguishers, screaming for the fire brigade who will stand back (a long way) until it is safe to ‘mop up’; which is most sensible – IMO.
But if your extinguishers are not more than 15 meters and not less than six meters, why you're legally as safe as houses, which is always nice to know. So carry a tape measure and if those extinguishers do not meet the exacting CASA positioning standards after your careful measuring; move those errant things to their correct position. There now all legal, safe and tidy; don’t you just love the CASA safety methodology.
Best load of Bollocks of the year candidate, in a very competitive field. Fuel pump standards (not CASA responsibility) and educated airmanship (not CASA responsibility) all yours for about AUD $100, 000 per page.
Toot – toot.