Original Posted By: "Doyle Combs"
I need to add my small amount of knowledge to the conversation.I have been hauling auto fuel for my RV-6 for 10 years now and also work in theelectronics industry where electrostatic discharge is dealt with on a daily basis.The main culprit with the rise in accidents is low humidity. Refueling on a humid muggy morning is relatively safe, on a dry day it is muchmore dangerous. Wintertime temperature extremes also cause humidity extremes.If you use plastic cans (who doesn't?), put them on the ground to fill them.This doesn't guarantee grounding but its probably the best we can normally do.Touch them with your grounded hand or to a grounded piece of metal BEFORE puttingthe gas nozzle in the opening.When you get to the airport, the gas containers will probably have a charge builtback up in them again. That gas has been sloshing around against the plasticall the way from the gas station. This definitely will create a charge evenif there was not one in existence when they were filled. My personal experienceis that the highest charge is at this point in the refueling cycle.Ground the aircraft tank. Use an alligator clip and ground the plastic can witha wire.All this is a lot of bother but probably many of us know of people in our hometown who have been maimed and killed by not treating gasoline with respect.Regards,Bob SeibertPiet "almost ready" to cover in Taylor, TX.________________________________________________________________________________