Do you verify fuel stops before hand?

[BellyUpFish]

I flew a really long cross country this past weekend, and almost had an interesting problem.

I was about at my comfortable fuel limit when we stopped for fuel. (had at least an hour reserve)

The interesting problem was, it was a self serve pump, on a Sunday, and the self serve pump wouldnt work at first. There wasn't another airport with fuel anywhere close, and the FBO was closed.

After some time, the pump started working...

Has anyone ever run into a problem where they made a planned stop with a minimum amount of fuel (don't misinterpret this. A safe reserve amount remaining... golden hour +), and couldnt get fuel?

I pulled the same stunt early on in my pilot adventure. Add in some IFR wx and a LOC BC in an "unsat" bird and I finally got in the ground again.

I didn't have the proper reserves and had to get down.

Fuel stops are now verified.

 

[Everskyward]

Wow, they were out?

Yup.

SLC is not more than 3 minutes in the air away...

Only if you go direct, and what are the chances of that?

I seem to remember thinking I was pretty low on fuel but I was willing to do it that day because the airport was so close to the site, the mine. However, I wasn't about to take off again.

 

[wsuffa]

It depends on how much reserve I'm planning on carrying & how close alternatives are.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

91.103 Preflight action

Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning that flight.