Narrative:

I'm a pilot working for a small commercial helicopter operator that flies bell jet rangers. I'm concerned that an item installed on some of these helicopters will one day soon cause an accident. The item I'm referring to is a range extender installed under stc #SH2889SW. It's the semi-permanent type of range extender as compared to the easily removable type. Refer to the enclosed picture. The range extenders are installed on early 1980 era jet rangers and are pushing 20 yrs of age. As a pilot, I've always been told not to rely on the fuel gauge. The NTSB has numerous accident reports on where the pilot relied too heavily on the fuel gauge. But with the semi-permanent range extender installed on the helicopter, a pilot is forced to rely on the fuel gauge to determine the present quantity of the fuel in the aircraft. There is no way to make a visual inspection. The accuracy of the fuel gauge is checked every 2 yrs when the aircraft are reweighed. 2 yrs is a long time between checks! Hopefully, maintenance will drain the fuel tank before weighing, but it is very possible that the fuel is left in and its weight (determined by the fuel gauge) is subtracted from the aircraft weight, negating the fuel gauge check. At the completion of a flight when the fuel gauge is showing 10 gallons, I wonder if there's really 10 gallons in there. Sometimes I have to go below 10 gallons because of unforeseen WX conditions or unsuitable landing areas. Flying a 20 yr old aircraft, last weighed about 2 yrs ago and equipped with a semi-permanent range extender, the possibility that something might happen starts to become very real! At least with a removable range extender a pilot can make a visual inspection, reducing the risk of running out of fuel. The FAA should ban all semi-permanent range extenders!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A BELL JET RANGER HELI COMPLAINT REGARDING THE STC INSTALLED FUEL EXTENDER EQUIP PREVENTS A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE ACFT'S FUEL QUANTITY.

Narrative: I'M A PLT WORKING FOR A SMALL COMMERCIAL HELI OPERATOR THAT FLIES BELL JET RANGERS. I'M CONCERNED THAT AN ITEM INSTALLED ON SOME OF THESE HELIS WILL ONE DAY SOON CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE ITEM I'M REFERRING TO IS A RANGE EXTENDER INSTALLED UNDER STC #SH2889SW. IT'S THE SEMI-PERMANENT TYPE OF RANGE EXTENDER AS COMPARED TO THE EASILY REMOVABLE TYPE. REFER TO THE ENCLOSED PICTURE. THE RANGE EXTENDERS ARE INSTALLED ON EARLY 1980 ERA JET RANGERS AND ARE PUSHING 20 YRS OF AGE. AS A PLT, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD NOT TO RELY ON THE FUEL GAUGE. THE NTSB HAS NUMEROUS ACCIDENT RPTS ON WHERE THE PLT RELIED TOO HEAVILY ON THE FUEL GAUGE. BUT WITH THE SEMI-PERMANENT RANGE EXTENDER INSTALLED ON THE HELI, A PLT IS FORCED TO RELY ON THE FUEL GAUGE TO DETERMINE THE PRESENT QUANTITY OF THE FUEL IN THE ACFT. THERE IS NO WAY TO MAKE A VISUAL INSPECTION. THE ACCURACY OF THE FUEL GAUGE IS CHKED EVERY 2 YRS WHEN THE ACFT ARE REWEIGHED. 2 YRS IS A LONG TIME BTWN CHKS! HOPEFULLY, MAINT WILL DRAIN THE FUEL TANK BEFORE WEIGHING, BUT IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT THE FUEL IS LEFT IN AND ITS WT (DETERMINED BY THE FUEL GAUGE) IS SUBTRACTED FROM THE ACFT WT, NEGATING THE FUEL GAUGE CHK. AT THE COMPLETION OF A FLT WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE IS SHOWING 10 GALLONS, I WONDER IF THERE'S REALLY 10 GALLONS IN THERE. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO GO BELOW 10 GALLONS BECAUSE OF UNFORESEEN WX CONDITIONS OR UNSUITABLE LNDG AREAS. FLYING A 20 YR OLD ACFT, LAST WEIGHED ABOUT 2 YRS AGO AND EQUIPPED WITH A SEMI-PERMANENT RANGE EXTENDER, THE POSSIBILITY THAT SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN STARTS TO BECOME VERY REAL! AT LEAST WITH A REMOVABLE RANGE EXTENDER A PLT CAN MAKE A VISUAL INSPECTION, REDUCING THE RISK OF RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. THE FAA SHOULD BAN ALL SEMI-PERMANENT RANGE EXTENDERS!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.