Question on real life Cessna's and loading their fuel.

[Guest Grayfox]

This might be a really, reallly, really stupid question. Anyway, here goes in real life with the C208 Amphibiam how is fuel loaded? Would it be possible to load fuel from a container or does it have to be pumped in.I know this is probably a really dumb question but I have no idea how small planes are loaded with fuel. I know the Heavy's are loaded from pumps on the tarmack.Like if you landed your amphibian on a lake and needed fuel and had as your cargo a few gallons of fuel in a container or something could you load it or is that just impossible?Thanks...please don't burn me too much. :D

[Damian Clark 1,087]

Hi,While I'm not experienced with the C208, I can almost guarantee they are fueled like most other small aircraft, via standard tank caps (similar to a car), one on each wing! The fuel is loaded from a normal gas-station type pump. The standard procedure: Pull to the pump, ground the airplane via ground wire to the exhaust, climb a step-latter to get above the wing, open the cap, and fuel until full (or at the level you require, usually less than full for small aircraft, so you have more load capacity for passengers). Replace the cap, repeat for other wing, disconnect ground wire, pay the [very expensive] bill, and you're done. Almost. Last you have to wait a few minutes (for the fuel to settle) then test the fuel (via strainers at the bottom of the wings) to make sure it is the right kind (color coded by grade/type) and is free of water and other contaminants.It is very common to see self-serve credit-card type pumps at some of the smaller airports, or regular full-serve gas stations. At larger ones they use fuel trucks, pretty much the same kind that fuel the heavies (only they use normal pump dispensers for small aircraft, not the big coupler-ring hose). They accept just about any kind of payment.FWIW, most small piston aircraft use 100LL (Low Lead), which is colored clear with a slight blue tint. While I haven't been flying in a couple years, I imagine the price per gallon is somewhere around $3.00 these days, and can vary depending on your location or "prestige" of the FBO (Fixed Based Operator, or flight/services center). Highest price I've ever seen was "Signature Air" in Las Vegas, one of the bigger corporate FBO's. Lowest price I've paid was in Corona, California (about $2.00 less!).Hope that info helps, no worries on the question, it is a very valid one! You should go to your local airport and find a school to get a demonstration flight. Try www.beapilot.com - they give discounts on your first flight at many participating airports. You'll get a heck of a ride you'll never forget and you'll learn all you ever wanted to know about fueling :)Hope that helps!-Damian

[nbotamer 0]

Back in my days as a ramper at an FBO, I encountered a couple of C208s on wheels and for the most part, they fueled over the wing like most turboprops and light jets. I had heard of some C208s that had single point refueling, but have never actually seen one.Once you removed the fuel cap it should just be an empty hole down into the fuel tank. I can't quite remember, but I don't think that Caravan's had those stupid flaps under the caps like King Airs. So long as you can find a tall enough ladder (we used to back the fuel trucks up to the plane and stand on the tops of the tanks) you should be able to put fuel in using a simple container. However, my advice is to only use a metal container and bring along a metal wire and ground yourself, the tank, and the plane. Last think you want to do is catch fire while refueling...

[rickalty 0]

Nick:>>So long as you can find a tall enough ladder (we used to back the fuel trucks up to the plane and stand on the tops of the tanks)Showing your age there, Nick :-) I do a fair bit of calibration and analysis work for Swissport at various airports, and if you back a truck right up to a plane these days your next drive would be to the Employment Office >>However, my advice is to only use a metal container and bring along a metal wire and ground yourself, the tank, and the plane. Last think you want to do is catch fire while refueling...Which is why I really replied to this post.... This is something that happens with depressing frequency at regular gas stations. If you ever need to buy gas in a can - as spare fuel for your car, or for a lawnmower or the like - ALWAYS put the can on the ground before filling it. Filling a gas can in the bed of a truck (Or even in the trunk of a car, and how boneheaded would you have to be to do that?) means it is beautifully insulated by your rubber tires. Static is generated by the gas lowing through the hose, and can make the jump from a cloud of charged droplets in the can to the grounded gas hose. Since gas fumes are coming out of the can at an even faster rate than gas is going in, the resultant flame can be very impressive.

[Guest Grayfox]

Wow, so technically a bush pilot flying an amphibian can reload gas almost anytime. Say he's really out there where there are no stations very bad terrain and he's running low on fuel and sees a good lake to land on.Since a gallon of gas weighs around 6.7lbs he could have stored some extra fuel in some containers on the cargo of the plane. He could then literally land on the lake and load the fuel he has stored in the containers in his cargo hold.Not that this would be safe or wise but if it were his only option to get to the nearest airport this could be done then huh?Basically I'm asking this because I want to fly the C208 Amphibian around the world and I want to make it as real as possible. Meaning, real world weather, no increase time rate, and some simple luggage. Meaning I'll have most of the the plane empty which means I could store like 400lbs of fuel in the cargo hold if I ever needed it.So in case I run low I could land take the 400lbs out of the cargo hold load it up and put the 400lbs in fuel. I mean not very wise but definetly feasable no?Actually don't many bush pilots carry some extra fuel with them when they can??

[rickalty 0]

>>So in case I run low I could land take the 400lbs out of the cargo hold load it up and put the 400lbs in fuel. I mean not very wise but definetly feasable no? Assuming you do your weight/balance sums right, then yes, it's technically feasable. As far as realism goes though... I don't think MSFS has a function for ramp-checking you and pulling your pilots licence :-) Hazardous Materials transportation is a huge - and complicated -subject with horrendous penalties. Without looking it up I can't tell you if you're even allowed to carry ANY spare gasoline in the baggage compartment of a GA plane without treating it as cargo and following special regs... but I'll guarantee you can't legally carry 60-plus gallons in there !Richard

[Guest catalinaflyer]

Most all 208's being put on floats now days are equipped with single point fueling. This does not however preclude you from fueling over the wing. Even the large jets can be fueled over-wing but that would take hours and is only used in an emergency situation. I.e. single point inop and the company needs to get the plane to a maintenance base.As for carrying extra gas, the 208 will burn gas but is much happier on Jet A since it is turbine powered. In the event you find yourself someplace that doesn't have Jet fuel, try and find regular diesel and as a last resort, use regular unleaded gas but there are heavy restrictions on power settings and time when burning gas.

[Guest Smiley]

If you were really doing that around the world flight or other long distance flight you would get a ferry license. I'm not sure what your required rating would need to be but, assuming you were "legal" as a pilot then all that is left is having additional fuel tanks installed with appropriate valving to burn from the additional fuel tanks. Many small range light aircraft are ferried around the world packed with additional internal fuel tanks in place of passenger space. Some of these aircraft are way overweight for normal flight operations hence the "ferry license/permit".In 1976 a 260hp Piper Comanche was flown from Tokyo, Japan to Crescent City, California. It was 60% overweight with the 450 gallons of fuel needed for the 5,200 mile flight. This flight was made by Masajiro Kawato a former WWII Japanese Ace. Of course, he was supposed to land in Seattle. Take care not to get lost on your flight ;)