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319 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 25.975 

concentrated on unsupported tank sur-
faces. In addition— 

(1) There must be pads, if necessary, 

to prevent chafing between the tank 
and its supports; 

(2) Padding must be nonabsorbent or 

treated to prevent the absorption of 
fluids; 

(3) If a flexible tank liner is used, it 

must be supported so that it is not re-
quired to withstand fluid loads; and 

(4) Each interior surface of the tank 

compartment must be smooth and free 
of projections that could cause wear of 
the liner unless— 

(i) Provisions are made for protection 

of the liner at these points; or 

(ii) The construction of the liner 

itself provides that protection. 

(b) Spaces adjacent to tank surfaces 

must be ventilated to avoid fume accu-
mulation due to minor leakage. If the 
tank is in a sealed compartment, ven-
tilation may be limited to drain holes 
large enough to prevent excessive pres-
sure resulting from altitude changes. 

(c) The location of each tank must 

meet the requirements of § 25.1185(a). 

(d) No engine nacelle skin imme-

diately behind a major air outlet from 
the engine compartment may act as 
the wall of an integral tank. 

(e) Each fuel tank must be isolated 

from personnel compartments by a 
fumeproof and fuelproof enclosure. 

§ 25.969

Fuel tank expansion space. 

Each fuel tank must have an expan-

sion space of not less than 2 percent of 
the tank capacity. It must be impos-
sible to fill the expansion space inad-
vertently with the airplane in the nor-
mal ground attitude. For pressure fuel-
ing systems, compliance with this sec-
tion may be shown with the means pro-
vided to comply with § 25.979(b). 

[Amdt. 25–11, 32 FR 6913, May 5, 1967] 

§ 25.971

Fuel tank sump. 

(a) Each fuel tank must have a sump 

with an effective capacity, in the nor-
mal ground attitude, of not less than 
the greater of 0.10 percent of the tank 
capacity or one-sixteenth of a gallon 
unless operating limitations are estab-
lished to ensure that the accumulation 
of water in service will not exceed the 
sump capacity. 

(b) Each fuel tank must allow drain-

age of any hazardous quantity of water 
from any part of the tank to its sump 
with the airplane in the ground atti-
tude. 

(c) Each fuel tank sump must have 

an accessible drain that— 

(1) Allows complete drainage of the 

sump on the ground; 

(2) Discharges clear of each part of 

the airplane; and 

(3) Has manual or automatic means 

for positive locking in the closed posi-
tion. 

§ 25.973

Fuel tank filler connection. 

Each fuel tank filler connection must 

prevent the entrance of fuel into any 
part of the airplane other than the 
tank itself. In addition— 

(a) [Reserved] 
(b) Each recessed filler connection 

that can retain any appreciable quan-
tity of fuel must have a drain that dis-
charges clear of each part of the air-
plane; 

(c) Each filler cap must provide a 

fuel-tight seal; and 

(d) Each fuel filling point must have 

a provision for electrically bonding the 
airplane to ground fueling equipment. 

[Doc. No. 5066, 29 FR 18291, Dec. 24, 1964, as 
amended by Amdt. 25–40, 42 FR 15043, Mar. 17, 
1977; Amdt. 25–72, 55 FR 29785, July 20, 1990; 
Amdt. 25–115, 69 FR 40527, July 2, 2004] 

§ 25.975

Fuel tank vents and carbu-

retor vapor vents. 

(a) 

Fuel tank vents. Each fuel tank 

must be vented from the top part of the 
expansion space so that venting is ef-
fective under any normal flight condi-
tion. In addition— 

(1) Each vent must be arranged to 

avoid stoppage by dirt or ice forma-
tion; 

(2) The vent arrangement must pre-

vent siphoning of fuel during normal 
operation; 

(3) The venting capacity and vent 

pressure levels must maintain accept-
able differences of pressure between 
the interior and exterior of the tank, 
during— 

(i) Normal flight operation; 
(ii) Maximum rate of ascent and de-

scent; and 

(iii) Refueling and defueling (where 

applicable); 

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320 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 25.977 

(4) Airspaces of tanks with inter-

connected outlets must be inter-
connected; 

(5) There may be no point in any vent 

line where moisture can accumulate 
with the airplane in the ground atti-
tude or the level flight attitude, unless 
drainage is provided; 

(6) No vent or drainage provision may 

end at any point— 

(i) Where the discharge of fuel from 

the vent outlet would constitute a fire 
hazard; or 

(ii) From which fumes could enter 

personnel compartments; and 

(7) Each fuel tank vent system must 

prevent explosions, for a minimum of 2 
minutes and 30 seconds, caused by 
propagation of flames from outside the 
tank through the fuel tank vents into 
fuel tank vapor spaces when any fuel 
tank vent is continuously exposed to 
flame. 

(b) 

Carburetor vapor vents. Each car-

buretor with vapor elimination connec-
tions must have a vent line to lead va-
pors back to one of the fuel tanks. In 
addition— 

(1) Each vent system must have 

means to avoid stoppage by ice; and 

(2) If there is more than one fuel 

tank, and it is necessary to use the 
tanks in a definite sequence, each 
vapor vent return line must lead back 
to the fuel tank used for takeoff and 
landing. 

[Doc. No. 5066, 29 FR 18291, Dec. 24, 1964, as 
amended by Docket No. FAA–2014–0500, 
Amdt. No. 25–143, 81 FR 41207, June 24, 2016] 

§ 25.977

Fuel tank outlet. 

(a) There must be a fuel strainer for 

the fuel tank outlet or for the booster 
pump. This strainer must— 

(1) For reciprocating engine powered 

airplanes, have 8 to 16 meshes per inch; 
and 

(2) For turbine engine powered air-

planes, prevent the passage of any ob-
ject that could restrict fuel flow or 
damage any fuel system component. 

(b) [Reserved] 
(c) The clear area of each fuel tank 

outlet strainer must be at least five 
times the area of the outlet line. 

(d) The diameter of each strainer 

must be at least that of the fuel tank 
outlet. 

(e) Each finger strainer must be ac-

cessible for inspection and cleaning. 

[Amdt. 25–11, 32 FR 6913, May 5, 1967, as 
amended by Amdt. 25–36, 39 FR 35460, Oct. 1, 
1974] 

§ 25.979

Pressure fueling system. 

For pressure fueling systems, the fol-

lowing apply: 

(a) Each pressure fueling system fuel 

manifold connection must have means 
to prevent the escape of hazardous 
quantities of fuel from the system if 
the fuel entry valve fails. 

(b) An automatic shutoff means must 

be provided to prevent the quantity of 
fuel in each tank from exceeding the 
maximum quantity approved for that 
tank. This means must— 

(1) Allow checking for proper shutoff 

operation before each fueling of the 
tank; and 

(2) Provide indication at each fueling 

station of failure of the shutoff means 
to stop the fuel flow at the maximum 
quantity approved for that tank. 

(c) A means must be provided to pre-

vent damage to the fuel system in the 
event of failure of the automatic shut-
off means prescribed in paragraph (b) 
of this section. 

(d) The airplane pressure fueling sys-

tem (not including fuel tanks and fuel 
tank vents) must withstand an ulti-
mate load that is 2.0 times the load 
arising from the maximum pressures, 
including surge, that is likely to occur 
during fueling. The maximum surge 
pressure must be established with any 
combination of tank valves being ei-
ther intentionally or inadvertently 
closed. 

(e) The airplane defueling system 

(not including fuel tanks and fuel tank 
vents) must withstand an ultimate 
load that is 2.0 times the load arising 
from the maximum permissible 
defueling pressure (positive or nega-
tive) at the airplane fueling connec-
tion. 

[Amdt. 25–11, 32 FR 6913, May 5, 1967, as 
amended by Amdt. 25–38, 41 FR 55467, Dec. 20, 
1976; Amdt. 25–72, 55 FR 29785, July 20, 1990] 

§ 25.981

Fuel tank explosion preven-

tion. 

(a) No ignition source may be present 

at each point in the fuel tank or fuel 
tank system where catastrophic failure 

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