It is absolutely SOP. THE most common reason for small aircraft crashes is
running out of fuel. A visual check of the tank fill and a check with some
type of measuring device.... sometimes a calibrated glass straw type of
measuring device...insert into tank, place finger on top of "straw", remove
straw from tank and read gallons....or a calibrated measuring stick.... is
considered essential. Devices are available for different aircraft and
models ie. Cessna 172, Piper Warrier etc. calibrated to their particular
tanks. Pilots are trained to trust flight guages over sensory information
in general...fuel however is a different story. There is no excuse for
running out of fuel in an aircraft... the results are mostly tragic... the
FAA really frowns on it. Your pilot was right on the money!
Deano
----------
> From: "Mr. Mike" Passaretti <passaretti@sol.med.ge.com>
> To: Alan Myers <reagntsj@ricochet.net>
> Cc: Triumphs@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Fly-by's (how did we get on THIS subject)
> Date: Monday, August 17, 1998 7:22 AM
>
>
>
> >>>>> "Alan" == Alan Myers <reagntsj@ricochet.net> writes:
>
> Alan> I think the most nervous-making part of the flight
> Alan> was seeing the pilot doing his pre-flight check
> Alan> list, climb out on the wing & use a wooden yard
> Alan> stick through the filler cap to check the fuel
> Alan> level.
>
> During the short period asfter I restored Sonja's dash and
> before I got the behind-the-dash electrics re-sorted I used
> this same method at an filling station. It's traditional,
> non?
> -MM
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