PLT255: Fueling Safety and Grounding
What code PLT255 covers, why the FAA tests it, and how to study Fueling Safety and Grounding before your checkride.
Recall fueling procedures - safety / grounding / calculating volume
What this means for your checkride
Fueling safety centers on controlling static electricity: bond the fuel source to the aircraft and ground the aircraft before fueling, so a static spark cannot ignite fuel vapors. You also confirm the correct grade and quantity and guard against spills and contamination.
A fueling fire is catastrophic and preventable, so the FAA tests bonding and grounding and the static-electricity hazard.
Pilots skip bonding for a quick top-off. The static charge from fuel flowing through the hose can spark at the filler neck; bonding and grounding equalize the charge and are not optional.
Where to study it
A code on your test report is an area of deficiency. An authorized instructor must review it with you and endorse that review before you take the practical test, and the examiner may revisit it during the oral. Study it until you can explain it out loud, not just recognize the answer.