Ask FLYING: Do I Need To Learn How To Refuel My Airplane?

If you've never refueled an aircraft before, here are nine tips to help you do so safely during your next pit stop.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, November 09, 2022 at 08:59 AM ET

Verified

A refueler at work. [Courtesy: Meg Godlewski]

Key Takeaways:

Self-fueling is an essential skill for pilots, included in aircraft servicing syllabi, despite some pilots only encountering it recently due to FBO changes.
The process requires specific steps, starting with safely positioning the aircraft, attaching a grounding cable to dissipate static charge, and verifying the correct fuel type.
Pilots should determine remaining fuel before starting, as many aircraft fuel pumps lack automatic shut-off, and carefully handle the hose and nozzle to prevent damage or contamination.
After fueling, it is crucial to properly re-attach fuel caps, remove the static line, and sump the fuel to check for contamination before flight.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Question: I have been renting aircraft for years from an FBO that has recently become very busy. I was surprised when the FBO told me that I would have to refuel the airplane I had rented because it had just come back from a flight. They handed me a company credit card so it wasn’t the cost that bothered me—it’s that I have been flying for years but never have refueled an airplane before. Is this something new and something I should know how to do?

Answer: