Jet Fuel Guidelines

Jet Fuel Guidelines

One of the most critical aspects of operating an aviation fleet is to ensure that all aspects of your fueling operations are compliant with applicable industry and regulatory safety standards.

Two important references for aviation fueling professionals are NFPA 407 “Standard for Aircraft Fuel Servicing” and ATA Specification No.103. NFPA 407 is published by the National Fire Protection Association of Quincy, MA while A T A 103 is published by the Air Transport Association of America in Washington, D.C.

Here is a partial checklist of safety issues outlined in NFPA 407 and ATA 103 relating specifically to Jet Fuel handling that you should consider in evaluating the safety of your organization’s fueling procedures.

Jet Fuel Receipt

The receiving storage tank should always be gauged prior to delivery to verify that there is sufficient room to accept the new fuel delivery.

Always connect a grounding cable to the delivery truck to prevent a difference in electrostatic potential.

After allowing the delivery truck to set for a minimum of ten minutes, conduct a “Clear and Bright Test” on each compartment to check for visible contaminants.

An API Gravity Test(conducted with an ASTM hydrometer similar to the ones used to check your automotive battery) should next be conducted on incoming Jet Fuel. API Gravity must be from 37 through 51 degrees, corrected to 60 degrees F. The API Gravity read on your hydrometer should match the reading recorded on the fuel delivery manifest (there should not be even 1 degree of variance).

All Jet Fuel should be filtered into storage upon receipt.

Jet Fuel Storage