Keeping Fuel Off the Windshield

[Spaceman]

Do you guys have any techniques or gadgets for making sure you don't get any fuel drips on your windshield? I think once I am set up in a hangar I will just use a fuel caddy to fill up the plane at home, so I can be careful and not make a mess, but it seems like when travelling and using FBO pumps or whatever, it would be really easy to end up getting fuel on the windshield and messing it up. How do you mitigate that?

I was thinking maybe like a thin sheet of silicone or something you could lay over the windshield while filling, and then fold up and take with you in your toolkit. But I haven't really found what I'm picturing for sale yet.

[Fastcapy]

I made one out of a sheet of rubber roofing similar to the ones we used when I worked at the FBO.

Basically just a rectangle with a hole cut in it.

[Spaceman]

Ah! That's what I'm thinking! Where'd you get that material from?

[Fastcapy]

Ah! That's what I'm thinking! Where'd you get that material from?

It was actually a piece of scrap from a roofing job a contractor friend of mine did. I think you can find it at building supply stores, but it may be sold in amounts way more than you need. Maybe call roofing contractors in your area and ask them if they could save you a 1x2ft chunk of scrap on the next job.

[pilotyoung]

Some people use the pads that Harbor Freight sells for tool boxes. They are the rubber like pads that you put in the drawer and put your tools on. You just cut a hole in the center and use it.

I have a hollow tube that I put in the tank and it tells me how much fuel I have left. I then tell the self-service pump to pump 1 gallon less than what it takes to fill the tank. Then the pump will stop automatically before the tank overflows.

[Spaceman]

Good idea! I'll try that. This is way cheaper than buying a huge piece of rubber sheet just for this.

https://www.harborfreight.com/16-inch-x ... 66948.html