I have in the past climbed up using the strut (Molly doesn't have the step either) when a lineman fueled for me, but that ain't much fun!
I remember landing at an Ohio airport late one night in my new-to-me Cardinal. I pulled up to the self-serve pump, credit card at the ready. Everything seemed to be in order but after a brief search I noticed one problem.
No ladder.
I turned around to look at my plane.
No struts.
This was going to be … interesting.
The tallest item that was portable was a 55-gallon drum used as a garbage can and full of garbage. I rolled it under the wing. It was high enough, but I’d have to balance on the lip of the drum. And I didn’t want to turn it upside down and empty out the garbage on the ramp (much less put it all back when done).
So I laid my tow-bar across the open end. That gave me a…
less… precarious perch. Somehow I clambered up the drum, heavy hose in hand, and filled the tank.
And then had to do it again for the other wing.
