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Lesson learned: use wheel chocks when fueling

Dugaru

Dugaru

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So I was fueling up on a windy day here at New Kent International Aerodrome (W96) and although I connected the ground wire, I didn't chock the wheels. Which was idiotic of me, in retrospect.

A gust caught the plane and tried to swing the whole thing into the fueling station! The wing would have hit the yellow post protecting the pump, and at a good rate of speed, but by sheer luck I was standing in a spot where I could stop this from happening. Otherwise it would have been a nasty case of hangar rash at LEAST.

Lesson learned: use chocks. Our airplanes don't weigh much and they can get mobile fast.
 
I maintain a healthy respect for this when fueling the Super Decathlon on a ladder. Parking brake locked and checked.
 
jjb said:
Assume no parking brake
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Had a very similar close call to @Dugaru's a couple of years ago... the ramp in front of our MOGAS pump is somewhat inclined, and guess what, the parking brake which was duly set just let go. I'm sure it was set, but either the P somehow released, or I hadn't exercised enough pedal P when setting the parking brake.
An onlooker screamed caution and allowed my to catch my drifting steed before anything nasty happened. Parking brakes are great, if they're properly set, and if they hold the P.

Friend of mine, without PB dinged his spinner and cowl when his ride was pushed in the pump...
 
Doug, thats interesting. Don't you have a nose dragger? I learned real quick on my taildragger to roll forward enough that the tailwheel centered and locked, but I wouldn't have thought the trike would have been as prone to that.
 
Desert Rat said:
Doug, thats interesting. Don't you have a nose dragger? I learned real quick on my taildragger to roll forward enough that the tailwheel centered and locked, but I wouldn't have thought the trike would have been as prone to that.
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I do, and I assure you I was quite surprised as well! The aircraft was extra light, as I had only a few gallons on each side. It moved at a shockingly high rate of speed.
 
I keep a 1/2” piece of jute rope in the plane with a loop spliced on one end and an end splice on the other. Works great and weighs just a few ounces.
 
I recall my primary instructor recommending not to use the "peanut butter" (PB) in case there's a fire, you want to be able to quickly push the aircraft away from the fuel station. A piece of thick rope as chocks sounds very clever!
 
I set my parking brake, get out and chock the wheels, then go back and release the brake. I also have a set of rope chocks if needed.
 
Webb said:
I keep a 1/2” piece of jute rope in the plane with a loop spliced on one end and an end splice on the other. Works great and weighs just a few ounces.
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That's clever. I have a buddy that uses some 1" jute with his RV-6A and it works great for him. I use a couple of 6 inch pieces of aluminum angle tethered together. They're low enough that they provide good wheel pants clearance and easy to just toss under the nose wheel for a brief stop for fuel or lunch. My airplane does have a parking brake somewhere, I was told by the previous owner, but he related a horror story with it that impressed me enough that I've never used it...not even sure where it is or how it works. The chocks work fine.
 
One of the issues with Beringer wheels is they roll very easy. A slight down or upgrade or light winds will start the roll. There have been multiple times where if I did not have a parking brake I would not have been able to get out of the airplane. I probably do need to get in the habit of setting the PB and getting out and rope chalk the nose wheel.
 
I thought a parking brake wasn't needed until one day it was risky to park (solo, self serve) in the wind near the (much needed) fuel pump. A parking brake is, therefore, highly recommended. One has been installed and has other uses - like stopping on a line 90 deg from the hangar, locking the right wheel and pivoting then plane for perfect alignment. And; it sits patiently until I get back with the tow bar. Locating the knob so it can be released w/o cockpit entry is also handy.
 
Dugaru said:
So I was fueling up on a windy day here at New Kent International Aerodrome (W96) and although I connected the ground wire, I didn't chock the wheels. Which was idiotic of me, in retrospect.

A gust caught the plane and tried to swing the whole thing into the fueling station! The wing would have hit the yellow post protecting the pump, and at a good rate of speed, but by sheer luck I was standing in a spot where I could stop this from happening. Otherwise it would have been a nasty case of hangar rash at LEAST.

Lesson learned: use chocks. Our airplanes don't weigh much and they can get mobile fast.
Click to expand...
Yeah, when I was a snot-nosed kid fueling planes for a FBO, they insisted every plane gets chocked before fueling. Once a pilot insisted he set the parking brake so I didn't chock. Guess what happened 😭
 
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