Always check your fuel! Sumped water for the first time.

[BGF_Yankee]

Essentially, a big sealed bucket protected from the elements. A fuel truck or pump MUST have one, somewhere. If they don't, the fuel is probably not safe to use due to contamination. Most airports have several spread around the field. Around me, they come in plastic sheds along with spill kits, at any airport with fuel, even really small ones.

Exactly what I've been thinking after reading through every one of these threads. If a FBO has a fuel tank of any kind, they have to have a place to put waste fuel. Some places have reclaimers, but you can't reclaim 100% of the fuel you sample. You don't think they sump daily and just pour it back in if it has water, do you? Hell no! The liability on something like that makes me cringe! Realistically we are able to reclaim about 90% of the fuel sampled at my airport, but debris and water happen. It's why we check daily so we can work it out of the system...not to put it back in there if we discover it.

 

[jsstevens]

My home airport has dump cans but they are waaaaaay across the apron. Like 1/2 mile or more.

 

[LongRoadBob]

Maybe this is more difficult for the planes tied down out in the open? Just as a student, I am taught to sump before moving the plane, so it is still in the hanger and all hangers here have jerry cans for dumping the fuel. But I really never even thought to (when the fuel is clean, and water free) put it back in the tank.
Now I wonder why I'm not taught to do that.

 

[Caramon13]

Maybe this is more difficult for the planes tied down out in the open? Just as a student, I am taught to sump before moving the plane, so it is still in the hanger and all hangers here have jerry cans for dumping the fuel. But I really never even thought to (when the fuel is clean, and water free) put it back in the tank.
Now I wonder why I'm not taught to do that.

Another side of that is cost. Let's say 12 oz of a GATS jar is filled with fuel and you dump it all out after a full sump.

Depending on the cost of fuel and how frequently you fly you could be losing up to $100 a year in just wasted fuel (if its clean).

Yeah that doesn't seem like much, but why throw away perfectly good avgas?

 

[UngaWunga]

When I sump my tanks, if I don't see anything in it, I hop on the strut and pour it back into the tank. No reason not to.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

On the pavement. FL has a law about it too, you get caught, you could be fined up to 50K.

Florida law prohibits dumping "sumped" aviation fuel on the ground (soil, pavement, or waterway). Violators are subject to a fine of up to $50,000. See Section 403.727, Florida Statutes for details.

17:01 But, I'm sure he can afford any fines. Skip part 2 if you want to watch the videos.

Personally, I sump one wing, walk 1/4 mile to the waste fuel can out by the fuel pumps, dump it in. Walk back. Sump the other wing - walk there and back, then I do the gascolator - one more round trip.

 

[Zeldman]

Frost in the tanks is common in cold climates. And you can't sump ice through the little drains. Actually its a bad idea to try to sump in cold temps because the quick drains are usually frozen solid and if you can move them they won't re-seat when you try to drain ice crystals through them. Isopropyl is an important winter tool.

I learned that lesson the hard way in Barrow one winter....

For those that are not in the know, Isopropyl will not eat at rubber in the fuel bladder and system and it also does not separate the lead from the fuel like methanol, ethanol and other alcohols will. It will absorb small amounts water and burn it through the engine without any problem, unless a LOT of water is in the tank. Also when fueling, small ice crystals may be swirling around in the gas. Isopropyl will absorb those ice crystals before they melt and turn into water in the fuel. My last winter job in Alaska it was SOP to fuel and pour a 12 ounce bottle of isopropyl at the same time.