Dave-
Cool head, good reactions.
We are all susceptible to fuel pooling to some degree. The plans and CPs call for a drain hole in the system low points, including the cowl.
- A couple of supporting comments. Our induction system must drain collected fuel in any position. My carb inlet system is extremely simple consisting of an air inlet in the cowl and a 90 degree duct to the carb. Collected fuel as you described during start can simply drain down and out. If not on level ground, it could drain into the lower cowl so there is also a drain hole at that low point in the cowl.
I heard the story of a fire on the strake cap area during fueling that was swatted out with a hat. I have a Halon fire extinguisher mounted in the left strake, and a swatting towel. And usually a hat.
Related to the fire extinguisher, there is a tube running along the consoles from my arm rest back to the fire wall. There it connects to a metal tube through the firewall aimed at the engine where i would most expect a fire, but it should fill the cowl. The extinguisher nozzle and the inside diameter of the tube match. So the extinguisher can be used on the ground directly on a fire or into the cowl, or connected to the tube and put into the cowl in flight. For breathing in flight after discharging the extinguisher in the cowl there is an air inlet and breathing tube.
There is a Fire Warning system installed on the plane. A light on the panel has an insulated wire that goes back through the firewall plus about ten feet. At the firewall a different bare wire is connected to the ground junction and twined along with the insulated wire, which are routed around the engine. They are both ground wires, just not connected. If the insulation melts and they touch, the panel light will come on. It has been suggested that at that point, I would panic and crash. Rather, I would hope to have the presence of mind to confer with a wingman or turn to observe trailing smoke before fainting.
Good note Dave-
