Fuel drains are needed in every homebuilt aircraft. Choosing the right style and ensuring it stays leak-free is important.
Many options exist for selecting a fuel drain for your homebuilt project. Drains are typically needed in the bottoms of each fuel tank and also with a gascolator (if used). Header tanks may also need some method of removing fuel.
The styles of drains that can be chosen for each application depend on their general purpose: removing small samples of fuel for examination during pre-flight - or - allowing the entire tank or fuel system to be evacuated for service or to remove bad fuel.
A common complaint with these drains is that they sometimes leak - or weep fuel when they are supposed to be closed. Our short video takes a look at some common styles of drains used by aircraft builders and what causes them to leak. Of course we show the remedies for some typical leak issues.
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