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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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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