Is it legal to carry additional fuel in the cabin in jerry cans, in order to self-refuel if landing somewhere that fuel isn’t available?
Or would this be considered dangerous goods, given that it’s not in the fuel tanks?
Second question: Would this be unwise to do, even if it is legal? Thinking about fumes/vapours?
There was something in the LAA mag in May with someone who had installed one as an aux tank (and it was signed off) It was in the magazine because he had to do a (no damage) forced landing after getting a batch of contaminated mogas from a filling station.
Someone here used to load their Cherokee Six with about 20 jerry cans of avgas. I can mention it because he’s immune from prosecution as he died of a brain tumour a few years ago. I don’t know if it’s legal, but at least in this case the flaming ball of fire would have been extra large in the case of a crash and he was always flying from remote strips/his own property so unlikely anyone in authority would have known (and the post crash fire, had a crash occurred, would have ensured there was no one left to prosecute…)
dublinpilot wrote:
Is it legal to carry additional fuel in the cabin in jerry cans, in order to self-refuel if landing somewhere that fuel isn’t available?
Or would this be considered dangerous goods, given that it’s not in the fuel tanks?
Second question: Would this be unwise to do, even if it is legal? Thinking about fumes/vapours?
I believe it is also technically illegal to even carry spare quarts of oil in the baggage compartment…. In the case of fuel, also illegal without certified ferry tanks and suitable approval…no doubt also not wise.
Someone here used to load their Cherokee Six with about 20 jerry cans of avgas. I can mention it because he’s immune from prosecution as he died of a brain tumour a few years ago. I don’t know if it’s legal, but at least in this case the flaming ball of fire would have been extra large in the case of a crash and he was always flying from remote strips/his own property so unlikely anyone in authority would have known (and the post crash fire, had a crash occurred, would have ensured there was no one left to prosecute…)
I know a pilot who flies with 10-20 plastic jerrycans of mogas, in a PA28. He has a PPL but knows how to do the radio etc so he flies Eurocontrol IFR 
(really)
As I understand the rules, carrying substances required for the operation of an aircraft is permitted (or rather “is not prohibited”) on private flights. On a commercial flight with passengers on board it would be different. I remember that we needed a wad of papers in order to be allowed to carry some cans of “Prist” (a low-temperature additive for jet fuel) in the baggage compartment.
dublinpilot wrote:
Second question: Would this be unwise to do, even if it is legal? Thinking about fumes/vapours?
A proper container for petroleum fuel must be completely tight, so fumes should not be an issue. And “unwise”, I don’t know. If you fly a high wing Cessna, there will be something like 200 litres of AVGAS right above your head, less than half a metre away, stored in tanks made of 0,5mm thick aluminium. Your jerrycans built from 2mm steel will probably be the only undamaged items in your aircraft in case of a crash…
what_next wrote:
As I understand the rules, carrying substances required for the operation of an aircraft is permitted (or rather “is not prohibited”) on private flights.
Interesting presentation:
Maybe the rules have now changed…
Interesting range of opinions!
Regarding the jerry cans being air tight, that might cause a problem if climbing more than a few thousand feet?
I’m not planning this by the way! Avagas is available pretty much most places and that’s all I use in our PA28.
It was more of an idle thought about aircraft that use mogas. The Rotax 912s is a very frugal engine. But Mogas isn’t available at most airfields. So it means either using Avgas (which requires additional maintenance intervals) or faffing about trying to get lifts to petrol stations etc.
I just wondered, given that these engines use just 20ltrs per hour, could you extend your range significantly by carrying 40ltrs in the back? Land somewhere, refuel yourself, and continue on.
Hence wondering about the legality and practicalities. Then thought it might be an interesting question so posted it here :)
Regarding the jerry cans being air tight, that might cause a problem if climbing more than a few thousand feet?
Avgas expands 0.1% per degC so you would need only a tiny amount of empty space in the jerrycan to take up that expansion.
Taking extremes, if you filled it at -10C and climbed to +30C, that is a 4% expansion so if you had 8% of the can volume as air, the pressure in the can would double. For a metal can that should be fine (but would expose any leaks for sure). For a plastic can, no idea…
AnthonyQ wrote:
Interesting presentation:IAOPA Presentation 2014
Maybe the rules have now changed…
Who or what is “IAOPA”? I fly commercially around Europe and we carry all sorts of stuff on board the aircraft which would normally be classified as dangerous goods, but is expempt from the requlation because it is required for the operation of the aircraft. Cans with engine oil, Prist (a really nasty stuff) and deicing fluid to name a few. No ramp inspector has ever complained about that, pre- and post EASA regulations.
20l/h for the Rotax 912 S and 914 is about right. Additional maintenance is required if 100LL is used in exess of 30%. Hence I would refuel with Mogas if ever possible. The leadsh…settles everywhere in the engine and gearbox. I use almost exclusively car petrol for about 5 years from the very same car station and never found anything in my fuel filters other than clean fuel.
