TXFlyGuy
Well-Known Member
Large transport aircraft have provisions that allow a certain amount of fuel to leak, measured in drips per minute. When I was a Second Officer on the DC-10, I found fuel dripping from the engine nacelle area. When we contacted the mechanics, they pulled out the MEL and it stated that we were good to go with "X" drips per minute.
So now that my fuel tanks (6) are full of fuel, we have discovered a slow seepage from the left main tank. One drip each 15-20 seconds. It is seeping along a seam line on the inboard side of the wing (wet wing).
Is this an automatic grounding issue, completely unsafe to fly?
Or like in the case of the DC-10, are we good to go? My test pilot said it's not a no-go item.
So now that my fuel tanks (6) are full of fuel, we have discovered a slow seepage from the left main tank. One drip each 15-20 seconds. It is seeping along a seam line on the inboard side of the wing (wet wing).
Is this an automatic grounding issue, completely unsafe to fly?
Or like in the case of the DC-10, are we good to go? My test pilot said it's not a no-go item.
