Includes Petro Expo 2011 catalogue

From freezing temperatures to renewable fuelsAllied Aviation talks about the challengesOf providing 6 billion gallons of jetfuel each year

Biojet fuel takes offRenewable aviation fuels are coming, but what are the legislative, environmental and economic issues that still need to be overcome?

handlermagazine

Creating Opportunities for Petroleum Professionals

May 2011 • Volume 1 • Issue 1

The Fuelhandler page heading

XX APRIL 2011

NPMA annual awards for 2010The NPMA Selection Committee has announced the winners of the 2010

Outstanding Organisational and Individual Awards for Excellence in Airport Fuels Management, Operations, and Maintenance

SiLVeR nOZZLe TROphYThe NPMA Silver Nozzle Trophy is presented annually to the most outstanding airport fueling organisation in the US. This rotating trophy signifies organisational excellence and superior performance at the end of the fuel supply chain.

MOST OUTSTanding aiRpORT FUeLing OpeRaTiOn The winner for 2010 is SKY HARBOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AT PHOENIX, ARIZONA. Sky Harbor is the 15th busiest airport in the world and is a major gateway to America. Swissport Fueling is the operator of the Sky Harbor aviation fueling facilities consisting of 150,000 barrels of jet fuel storage on the airport and 700,000 barrels at the remote facility just off the airport. Swissport has an enormous system and a huge mission in fueling over 560 aircraft with over a million gallons of fuel daily through 305 hydrant fuel pits and truck loading stations. The company stands out in every category – management, accounting, operations, maintenance, quality, inspection, safety, and environmental. Sky Harbor’s outstanding record is intertwined in their attention to detail and emphasis on absolute compliance with every aspect of professional fuel handling 24/7.

geneRaL ManageR OF The YeaR THOMAS DOHERTY, Allied Aviation Services, at Miami International Airport garnered this year’s top fuels management award. Doherty’s leadership, knowledge, and management skill are evidenced in all aspects of Miami’s outstanding fuelling operation. He has raised efficiency while lowering costs through embracing a teamwork attitude that has improved employee dependability and productivity. Following a career path of hands-on work in all aspects of aviation fuel handling, his exceptional knowledge and experience have clearly made him a stand out manager in all facets of the airfield fuels support. The airport, the airlines, his company, and the community have consistently singled him out for his exceptional work. He is truly an outstanding manager and a leader in his field.

STaTiOn ManageR OF The YeaRJAMES STUCKEY, Swissport Fueling, Chicago Midway Airport, Chicago Illinois, is this year’s top Station Manager. Stuckey has been recognised by his company as one of the most professional and dedicated managers in their entire nationwide organisation. Multi-talented and experienced in all aspects of aviation fuels handling, including maintenance and operation of fixed fuels facilities and mobile equipment, he is a professional manager and leader with great respect throughout the Midway complex. The timeliness, effectiveness, and rigid compliance to quality and safety standards have made Swissport standout as a great member of the airport support element.

OpeRaTiOnS ManageR OF The YeaRDONALD SCOTT, Swissport Fueling, Oakland International airport, Oakland, California, is this year’s top Operations Manager supervisor. Scott is responsible for the day-to-day fuelling operations of one of the busiest airports on the west coast of the US. He has been recognised for his management skills, training techniques, and inspection effectiveness. He brought the support effectiveness for Federal Express to a new level. He clearly stands out for his people skills and the pride and professionalism that he instills in the workforce.

MainTenanCe ManageR OF The YeaRCHARLES LAUDAGE, Allied New York Services, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Jamaica, New York, is the year’s top Maintenance Manager. Charlie Laudage is the director of maintenance activities for the largest and most complex airport fixed fuel system and a mobile fleet of almost 200 serving units and support vehicles. He also maintains over fifty miles of pipeline and over six million barrels of jet fuel storage. Charlie’s reputation throughout the worldwide aviation fueling industry is legend. He is a member and valued consultant in numerous standards and specification preparing activities and professional organisations.

FaCiLTY ManageR OF The YeaRROBERT E. CARROLL JR., Swissport Fueling, Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix, Arizona, is the year’s top airport aviation fuels Facility Manager. Carroll is a strong leader and manager highly respected at all levels with his organisation. Responsible for the huge airport fuels storage and distribution complex, his performance and quality of his work is amply shown by Swissport’s Sky Harbor operation earning the NPMA Silver Nozzle Award as the most outstanding airport fueling support operation in the country for 2010. He stands out in his ability to prepare budgets and develop error-free long range programmes.

FUeLhandLeR OF The YeaREDWARD DELACRUZ, Allied Aviation, San Antonio International Airport, San Antonio, Texas, is the year’s top fuelhandler and servicing equipment operator. An experienced fuels operator on all equipment, he has been singled out for his professionalism, his dedication, his unbridled enthusiasm, and, most importantly, his reliability to treat each refueling operation with absolute respect and top safety consideration. These qualities and conduct of his work amply reflects his discipline and professionalism from a former career as a US Ordinance man. He is consistently recognised for his attention to detail and the exemplary quality of his work.

MAY 2011 1

COnTenTS The Fuelhandler

3 Comment from the NPMA Chairman

4 Latest news from the sector 19 Update on new technology and services 21 Incident report 22 Profile: without fuel pilots are pedestrians From freezing temperatures to renewable fuels, Allied

Aviation talks about the challenges of providing 6 billion gallons of jet fuel each year

24 Q&A The Fuelhandler puts your questions to the Air Transport

Association’s chief economist John Heimlich 25 The only way is up Rising jet fuel prices are causing the most immediate concern

for fuel handlers, but even in a difficult climate issues surrounding quality, security and safety cannot be sidelined

29 No mean feat As the aviation sector is pressured into reducing carbon

emissions, it is faced with logistical challenges and capital shortages that must be overcome if targets are to be met

32 Built for purpose Fuel storage facilities must be designed not only for safe

operation, but also according to the specific strict quality requirements of the aviation industry

34 Petro Expo 2011 show preview 42 Preventing a major fire hazard The diesel trucks that are coming on the market have

new emissions requirements leading to major changes to the engines, cooling and exhaust systems

43 Got certification? The NPMA offers a certification programme designed to

enhance technical knowledge, safety and product quality

Issue 1 • Volume 1

May 2011

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No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in any form by any mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording or other means without the prior written consent of the publisher. Whilst the information and articles in Bioenergy Insight are published in good faith and every effort is made to check accuracy, readers should verify facts and statements direct with official sources before acting on them as the publisher can accept no responsibility in this respect. Any opinions expressed in this magazine should not be construed as those of the publisher.

ISSN 1754-2170

Contents

INCLUdEs

PETro EXPo 2011

CATALoGUE

XX APRIL 2011

The Fuelhandler COMMenT

Petro expo will be back next year in Florida

www.npma-fuelnet.org

Keep an eye out for further details!

2012

MAY 2011 3

COMMenT The Fuelhandler

Who is the Fuelhandler? The Fuelhandler is the generic name of the person anywhere in the fuel supply chain, from ‘wellhead to wingtip’. The analyst, accountant, programmer, manager, supervisor, controller, transporter, and the mechanic who inspects, troubleshoots and repairs the systems and equipment; the storage attendant who receives, stores and issues the fuel; the laboratory technician who samples and tests the fuel; the fuel system and equipment operators are all fuelhandlers. Chances are if you are reading this, you are a fuelhandler too.

This magazine aims to be a trusted and loyal partner to the entire worldwide

aviation fuel industry. That includes the airlines, the FBOs, the servicing companies, the oil companies, the military and the equipment manufacturers.

The Fuelhandler magazine is published with the full support

of the National Petroleum Management Association

(NPMA). Our goal by the end of this year is to have

300 corporate members and 3,000 individual members. We are tremendously excited and really appreciate your support.

This first issue of the Fuelhandler is

dedicated to all of you.

V/r Jack LavinJOHN F. LAVIN, CPPMPresident and CEOTHE NATIONAL PETROLEUM MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATIONPhone: 703-583-1206 Fax: 703-583-1207Mobile: 703-628-9958

At long last, the Fuelhandler magazine is up and pumping. Yes, pumping out information about all the good things you do to support this industry

2011 is the year!

V/r Jack Lavin

4 MAY 2011

The Fuelhandler NEWS

Northrop Grumman’s Relative Navigation system performed accurately during its recent tests for the US Air Force Research Laboratory’s Automated Aerial Refuelling (AAR) programme.

The tests were carried out in conjunction with the Air Force Flight Test Center’s Test Operations Combined Test Force, the 190th Air Refuelling Wing of the Kansas Air National Guard and Calspan.

Northrop says the aim of the programme is to demonstrate critical technology to enable refuelling of unmanned aircraft and develop tools to support airworthiness certification for integration with the existing Air Force tanker fleet.

The unmanned aircraft and modified refuelling tanker had its global positioning

system given by its new Relative Navigation system which provided the precise positioning information required in support of the simulated aerial refuelling mission.

‘This flight test demonstrated that our simulation tools and hardware-in-the-loop test environment can successfully predict and model our Relative Navigation solution performance for the AAR mission,’ says Charles Volk, vice president and chief technology officer for Northrop Grumman’s Navigation Systems Division. ‘This successful demonstration shows that our solution can be utilised for refuelling mission planning and performance modelling for future applications, such as a precision approach and landing, where moving vehicles must operate cooperatively in close proximity as well as scenarios with larger separation between vehicles.’ n

Bahrain Air is the latest airline to suffer from the rising fuel costs and says it is reducing some scheduled flights and suspending others to deal with the problem.

The airline says it has had a drop in the number of passengers travelling on its aircraft and has experienced a hike in its insurance costs, two factors which have not helped the situation.

The company has been suffering since the middle of February 2011 and the

shaky political situation within the country has also seen a reduction in the number of people wanting to use its services.

It says its costs have also risen by more than 35%, which includes the increase in aviation fuel and insurance.

Bahrain Air will reduce its scheduled flights to Damascus and Amman to a minimum and suspend all flights to Najaf, Baghdad in Iraq, Mashhad in Iran and Beirut in Lebanon until June 20, when it will reassess the situation.

Gulf Air also reported it has seen a drop in its passengers. n

Northrop Grumman tests its fuelling navigation system

Bahrain Air suffers from added costs

A Learjet is used as the refueling boom of a modified refueling tanker during a recent flight test for the US Air Force Research Laboratory’s Automated Aerial Refueling programme

Qantas, the Australian airline, is to suspend flights, reduce some of its services, downsize its aircraft, retire some planes and review its management headcount in a battle to improve its profits.

The airline says it has been severely affected by recent national disasters in Japan, New Zealand and Australia, as well as the rising price of jet fuel.

The company says it is in the worst situation it has been in since the recession and that its fuel costs for the the second half of 2011 are expected to be AUS$2 billion (€1.46 billion) alone.

As a result, Qantas has revised its predicted domestic capacity growth for the second half of 2011, dropping it by 6% to 8% and reducing its international capacity growth estimates in the same period from 10% to 7%.

The drop in predicted growth is because of a number of factors, such as the grounding of A380 Roll-Royce planes after an engine incident; and the loss of AUS$60 million from the Queensland floods, AUS$45 million from

the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, AUS$20 million from cyclones and AU$15 million from the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Alan Joyce, Qantas CEO says: ‘We need to act decisively to respond to rising fuel costs and natural disasters, just like we did during the global financial crisis, to ensure the ongoing sustainability of our business.’

Qantas will also suspend its flights for up to four weekly return Jetstar services from Australia to Japan, as well as suspending its services between Perth and Narita, and downsizing of Qantas aircraft between Sydney and Narita from a Boeing 747 to an Airbus 330.

It will also reduce its fleet with the early retirement of two B767 aircraft and review its manpower costs which will include initiatives to reduce management headcount and annual and long service leave balances.

Qantas has already increased domestic airfares and international fuel surcharges in February and March 2011 in response to rising fuel prices. n

Qantas suffering after natural disasters and jet fuel rises

MAY 2011 5

NEWS The Fuelhandler

World Fuel Services, a global fuel logistics company, has acquired Ascent Aviation, a distributor of aviation fuel and deicing fluids.

Ascent, based in Parish, New York, US, supplies aviation fuel and deicing fluid to more than 450 airports and fixed base operators throughout North America. Ascent is a national branded reseller of aviation fuel for ConocoPhillips

and is the exclusive third-party distributor of deicing fluids for Dow Chemical in the United States.

‘The acquisition of Ascent further strengthens our platform in the general aviation fuel distribution business and expands our product offering,’ says Michael Kasbar, president and CEO of World Fuel Services. ‘We are pleased to welcome Ascent to the World Fuel organisation and are looking forward to working with their talented team.’ n

Aside from natural disasters, cyber terrorism is the number one worry facing airlines today, security workers reported at an Asia-Pacific Aviation Security conference.

A hacking programme that can make a passenger jet nosedive and crash or let go of all its fuel is one type of software that has been created to threaten peoples’ lives.

The Stuxnet virus has made the threat of cyber terrorism

a reality and last year the programme was used to attack a uranium plant in Iran.

The virus caused the internal computer network systems within the nuclear plant to go offline, something speakers at the conference say could happen to a plane in the sky.

Not only this, but it could happen to a number of planes at the same time, not simply one aircraft.

However, the chance of an attack like this was low because it is a complicated mission to carry out and would be expensive to implement. n

World Fuel Services acquires Ascent Aviation

Cyber terrorism threat a reality in aviation industry

Plans for a new fuel infrastructure system at Frederic Chopin Airport in Warsaw, Poland, have been opposed by the country’s deputy chairman of the parliamentary Economic Committee.

Antoni Mężydło says the cost of the investment, which would be zl.213 million (€54 million) over four years, is too high.

Polish Airports State Enterprise (PPL) wants to install its fuel system which would allow petrol to be transported directly to the aircraft. At the moment the fuel has to be delivered via tankers.

However, Mężydło claims this fuel method is adequate and

that an upgrade is not needed.The money for the proposed

infrastructure is part of the zl1.2 billion earmarked for a large development at the airport but Mężydło claims too much money is being spent. He believes less funds should be put towards the project because the airport’s predicted growth is only estimated to be a ‘relatively small’ two million over the coming five years.

The politician added that if the development was to go ahead it would raise flight prices.

However, PPL argues that with new suppliers coming into the airport and other companies tendering for jobs, the price of plane fares could actually decrease. n

Fuel plans for Polish airport face opposition

Fredric-Chopin Airport in Warsaw, Poland, is considering the installation of a new fuel infrastructure system

NASA tested an autonomous aerial refuelling between two unmanned, high altitude aircraft recently, a procedure that had never before been attempted.

Northrop Grumman worked with NASA on the attempt, using its Proteus test aircraft and a NASA Global Hawk, which

flew as close as 12m apart and at a height of more than 13,700m.

The companies say it was a challenge to refuel the aircraft because of the high altitude and the wake turbulence. The planes also practised simulated breakaway manoeuvres, in a preparation attempt for autonomous aerial refuelling of two Global Hawks in Q2 2012, as part of the same programme.

In total the programme is to cost $33 million (€23.85 million)

and if successful will enable flights to continue flying for up to one week in duration.

‘Demonstrating close formation flight of two high altitude aircraft, whether manned or unmanned, is a notable accomplishment,’ says Geoffrey Sommer, KQ-X programme manager at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems sector. ‘When you add autonomous flight of both aircraft into the mix, as we will

do later in the KQ-X programme, you gain a capability that has mission applications far beyond just aerial refuelling.’

KQ-X follows a programme in 2006, DARPA Autonomous Aerial Refueling Demonstration, which was a joint effort with NASA Dryden. This programme used an F-18 fighter jet as a surrogate unmanned aircraft to autonomously refuel through a probe and drogue from a 707 tanker. n

NASA tests unmanned refuelling at 13,700m

The Fuelhandler NEWS

6 MAY 2011

The Airbus Military A330 MRTT has successfully passed fuel to another aircraft in flight using the Fuselage Refuelling Unit (FRU) for the first time, which means all of the aircraft´s refuelling systems have now been tested.

In a three hour and 10 minute test from Getafe near Madrid, Spain, the Future Strategic Transport Aircraft (FSTA) variant for the UK Royal Air Force made ‘wet contact’ with two F-18 fighters of the Spanish Air Force.

The mid-air refuelling happened at more than 4,500m and at speeds ranging between 250kt and 325kt.

The FRU is a hose and drogue, a funnel-shaped device towed

behind an aircraft as a target, similar to those fitted under the wings but with a higher rate of fuel transfer. It is being developed and supplied by UK-based company Cobham.

Head of Airbus Military Derivatives Antonio Caramazana says: ‘This demonstration of the last of the A330 MRTT´s refuelling systems clearly positions it as the most capable, flexible and proven transport and tanker available to the world´s air forces today.’

The Airbus Military A330 has a fuel storage capacity of 111 tonnes and can conduct air-to-air refuelling without using an additional tank.

The plane can also carry 300 troops or 130 medical stretchers and 28 of the planes have been ordered by Australia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the UK. n

Brazil’s antitrust agency, Cade, says Shell needs sell off its aviation fuel assets at major airports throughout the country.

Shell purchased the assets from Cosan, a local sugar and ethanol company, two years ago for $75 million (€55 million) but now is being forced to rid itself of the facilities located in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Pernambuco.

Cade says Shell will have

to sell the parks supply held by Cosan at airports in the Pampulha (Belo Horizonte), Viracopos (Campinas), Curitiba and Brasilia.

However, Shell does not want to sell off its assets and is attempting to stop the decision through the courts.

By majority vote, Cade says its council said maintenance of these assets in the possession of Shell would cause an excess of market concentration in the water supply sector of aviation fuel. n

Airbus Military demonstrates final A330 MRTT refuelling system

Cade forcing Shell to sell assets

easyJet is to test-run nanotechnology paint in an attempt to reduce fuel usage. The paint reduces the amount of debris that sticks to the side of the aircraft, reducing the drag of the plane in the sky.

The ultra-thin coating, which is already used by US military aircraft, adds only 4oz to the weight of the plane and should reduce easyJet’s fuel consumption by an estimated 1-2%.

The aviation company will trial the paint for a year on eight of its aircraft.

The nanotechnology paint is being applied and distributed by UK-based company TripleO. The product

is a polymer which contains acrylic elements which fill into the ‘pores’ of the plane with a resin-type substance, giving it a smooth finish on its surface.

Carolyn McCall, easyJet’s CEO, says: ‘If we can find new ways of reducing the amount of fuel used by our aircraft we can pass the benefits onto our passengers by offering them low fares and a lower carbon footprint.’

She continues: ‘All airlines should be incentivised to reduce the environmental impact of their operations which is why we welcome the government’s commitment to move from APD to a fairer, greener per plane tax.’

easyJet says the average passenger on its planes users 22% fewer emissions than a customer on a ‘traditional’ airline when flying the same route in a similar style of plane. n

easyJet uses nano paint to reduce fuel usage

Boeing successfully tested its longest passenger plane in its history, the 747-8 Intercontinental jumbo jet, in Paine Field, Everett, Washington, US, in March 2011.

The airplane flew for four hours and 25 minutes to Boeing Field in Seattle, US, and the event marked the beginning of a flight test programme that will finish in Q4 2011.

For the remaining testing, the

plane will fly for more than 600 hours and its basic handling and performance will be examined. During the first test run, the plane reached an altitude of 5,791m and speeds of up to 463km an hour.

Boeing says its 747-8 Intercontinental will have the lowest seat-mile cost of any large commercial jetliner, with 12% lower costs than its predecessor, the 747-400. The airplane provides 16% better fuel economy, 16% less carbon emissions per passenger and generates a 30% smaller noise footprint than the 747-400. n

Boeing successfully flies longest passenger plane in its history

Boeing staff test the new 747-8 Intercontinental

NEWS The Fuelhandler

MAY 2011 7

Interjet and Airbus tested their first Jatropha-based biofuel flight in Mexico on 1 April 2011, using an Airbus A320 aircraft.

The biofuel comes from the local region’s jatropha plant which is harvested in the southern state of Chiapas, Mexico.

The two companies say the main aim of the demonstration flight and the project was to speed up the commercialisation of aviation biofuel in the country.

The A320 flight left from Mexico City’s International Airport and flew to Angel Albino Corzo of Tuxtla Gutierrez airport in the southern State of Chiapas, with one of the two CFM engines using 30% biofuel.

Miguel Aleman, Interjet president says: ‘The test flight is the realisation of a two year ambition for Interjet to develop a

production chain for renewable biofuel, with the purpose of creating a Mexican platform for sustainable aviation bio-kerosene.’

Paul Nash, Airbus head of new energies adds: ‘This flight serves as evidence that our sector is serious about its commitment to achieve carbon neutral growth by 2020, and a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050 compared to 2005 levels.’

CO2 lifecycle studies show jatropha can reduce the overall CO2 footprint by up to 80% compared to standard aviation kerosene.

Those supporting the project include Mexico’s Secretariat of Communications and Transportation, Airports and Auxiliary Services, the State of Chiapas, the European Aviation Safety Agency, CFM and Airbus. The jatropha biofuel was processed by Honeywell’s UOP. n

Interjet and Airbus test first biofuel flight in Mexico

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NASA has tested a type of biofuel on a NASA DC-8 to measure its performance and emissions as part of the Alternative Aviation Fuel Experiment II (AAFEX II).

The hydrotreated renewable jet fuel is made from chicken fat and is an eco-friendly way to travel.

‘The Air Force bought many thousands of gallons of this to burn in some of their jets and provided about 30,283 litres to NASA for this experiment,’ Bruce Anderson, AAFEX II project scientist says.

Anderson and his team are also to test a 50-50 mix of biofuel and regular jet fuel, biofuel only, and jet fuel only. The jet fuel is Jet Propellant 8, or JP-8, a kerosene-like mix of hydrocarbons.

More than 15 companies are participating in the project, including federal

organisations and academia.Anderson admits the task

will not be easy: ‘This is going to be a lot of hard work.’

‘AAFEX II will provide essential gaseous and particulate emissions data as well as engine and aircraft systems performance data from operation of the DC-8 on a fuel produced from a renewable resource,’ says Glenn’s Dan Bulzan, who leads clean energy and emissions research in NASA’s Subsonic Fixed Wing Project.

‘NASA Dryden is excited to continue contributing to the study of alternative fuels for aviation use,’ adds Frank Cutler, NASA’s DC-8 flying laboratory project manager. ‘These tests will assess exhaust emissions generated by modern turbine aircraft engines using man-made fuels.’

In 2009, researchers in the AAFEX I project tested two synthetic fuels derived from petroleum-based coal and natural gas. n

NASA tests chicken fat aviation fuel

The Fuelhandler NEWS

8 MAY 2011

Airports Authority of India is upgrading its fire-fighting infrastructure to modernise and expand the airport facility in Chennai.

The new extension would mean the airport would have more crash fire engines and other fire-fighting tools, such as chemicals to create foam and better water storage facilities.

The upgrade will also see a rise in the number of people on hand to deal with an emergency involving large planes.

It would also improve the airports fire-fighting rating to a category 10. Currently, larger

planes are only able to land at airports that feature a fire-fighting category of nine or 10.

Once the upgrade is complete, A380 airplanes will be able to land at the airport. Only two of India’s airports, Delhi and Mumbai, can currently hold planes of this size.

The new fire station is expected to cost Rs.12 million Crores (€2 million) to build and will feature an underground storage tank that will hold more than 400,000 litres of water. The airport currently only stores just over 50,000 litres of water.

The extension will also see an increase in the amount of dry chemical powder that is stored at the airport, which is just over 4,000kg at present. n

A new report has shown state-run oil companies in India have raised their jet fuel price by 3.4% because of the rise in crude oil costs.

A PTI report says Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation hiked up their prices to Rs54,933 (€884) per kilolitre,

by more than up Rs1,800 on last month’s figures.

Since October 2010, India has increased its jet fuel prices 10 times because of rising crude oil prices. Back then the price of jet fuel was only Rs40,728 per kilolitre.

The three companies revise their prices on the 1st and 16th of each month and say they are just trying to keep up with global oil prices, even though the fuel makes up 40% of an airline’s operating costs. n

Fire-fighting facility at Indian airport to be upgraded

India hikes up the cost of jet fuel

The Airbus Military has conducted an initial test on its air-to-air refuelling systems for its A400M airlifter using a Vickers VC10 tanker which is owned by the UK Royal Air Force (RAF).

The tests were carried out in Toulouse, France, with a A400M development aircraft Grizzly 1 making a number of dry contacts with the VC10’s fuselage-mounted hose drum unit. Airbus Military says the RAF is one of its launch customers for its A400M aircraft.

The first day of the trials

were on February 15 and follows the Grizzly 2 aircraft being tested for cold weather trials at the beginning of this month in Sweden.

The tests in temperatures of -21°C were to see whether the aircraft, including its fuelling systems, could withstand the harsh conditions. The tests were successful.

The trial followed former tests carried out in Hamburg, Germany, in December 2010 and more trials will be completed when other extreme weather trials in Kiruna, Sweden, are carried out in the coming months and during 2012. n

Airbus Military conducts refuelling test with RAF

The Airbus Military recently tested its air-to-air refuelling systems

BBA Aviation, an aviation support and aftermarket services provider, has acquired its legacy support business, GE Aviation, for $62.5 million (€45.2 million).

GE was formerly part of the aftermarket services and systems division and in addition to the purchase, BBA will also invest a further $7 million into working capital and fixed assets.

GE sells and overhauls fuel gauging and measurement systems in the defence and

commercial airframe market.The company currently

has more than 6,200 active aircraft such as the A319/320, B777, Eurofighter Typhoon, AW101 and Hawk2.

With the acquisition, BBA says it will be able to expand into markets outside of the US and specialise in third generation electronics.

GE had an EBITDA of about $9 million in 2010 and revenues of $43 million, as well as gross assets of $8.4 million. It is based in the UK, US and Singapore, although these facilities will be moved to nearby BBA sites. n

BBA Aviation acquires GE Aviation

A Qantas plane was forced to make a ‘priority landing’ after a problem with its fuel system on 13 April.

The Boeing 737 landed safely in Sydney after it took off to fly to Auckland, New Zealand. The company says there was a ‘fuel system fault’ and that the fuel transfer valve would be replaced, AFP reported.

This is not the first time

Qantas has had problems with it planes. Last month it had to make an emergency landing in Adelaide after smoke filled the cabin from a malfunctioning oven.

This followed a cockpit fire after an electrical fault damaged the Qantas Airbus A330-200 on route to Manila from Sydney.

In November 2010, an engine exploded in an Airbus A380 on the way to Singapore, damaging the plane. n

Qantas lands plane following fuel system problem

NEWS The Fuelhandler

MAY 2011 9

Boeing has won a competitive contract from the US Air Force to build its refuelling tankers, replacing 179 of its existing 400 KC-135 planes.

EADS, which was bidding against Boeing for the contract, says it is disappointed with the decision and is holding talks with the Air Force to better understand why it chose Boeing over them.

Boeing’s contract involves designing, developing, manufacturing and delivering 18 initial combat-ready tankers by 2017.

Boeing says it was chosen because it met all the requirements and was the ‘lowest risk for the warfighter and the best value for taxpayers’.

However, EADS says its planes were ‘proven and had more capable KC-45 (than Boeing’s) for the US´ next aerial refuelling tanker’, although says it will not contest the decision.

EADS has admitted that Boeing ran the competition fairly along the rule guidelines set out in its request for proposal.

However, the company says its bid was ‘substantially lower

than what it submitted in the last competition’ and it had tried to present a ‘sound business case’ with ‘reasonable return’.

‘While we are obviously disappointed that our men and women in uniform are not getting the most capable tanker available, we will not take any action that could further delay the already overdue replacement of the Air Force’s aging tanker fleet,’ says EADS chairman Ralph Crosby Jr.

He adds that if Boeing cannot complete the project then EADS

would be happy to takeover and says the Air Force also said its tankers were judged to be superior in capability to the Boeing offering as measured by the service’s fleet effectiveness rating.

‘Now our focus is on future opportunities and our continued growth. This experience has strengthened our position in the U.S. marketplace,’ EADS North America CEO Sean O’Keefe says.

The new Boeing KC-46A tankers are expected to support about 50,000 total US jobs with

Boeing and more than 800 suppliers in over 40 states.

The tankers will be based on the Boeing 767 commercial airplane and will be a wide-body, multi-mission aircraft featuring new technology. They will be able to transport fuel, cargo, passengers and patients.

The technology design includes a digital flight deck featuring Boeing 787 Dreamliner electronic displays and a flight control design philosophy that places aircrews in command rather than allowing computer software to limit combat maneuverability.

The NewGen Tanker also features an advanced KC-10 boom with an expanded refuelling envelope, increased fuel offload rate and fly-by-wire control system.

Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes says: ‘Boeing has always been committed to the integrity of the competitive process, and the men and women across our Boeing commercial and defense teams and our entire supplier network are ready to extend that commitment to delivering these tankers on time and on budget.’ n

Boeing chosen for US Air Force tanker project over EADS

Boeing was awarded a lucrative US Air Force contract over EADS

A US air force test pilot successfully flew an A-10 Thunderbolt II jet aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base on 25 March 2011, testing a blend of biomass-derived and conventional JP-8 jet fuel.

It was the first time such a flight had been carried out using this specific jet fuel blend.

The biomass fuel was created from camelina oil, and the fuel is called hydro-treated renewable jet fuel, or HRJ.

The test was part of the Air Force’s alternative aviation fuel programme, which has the aim of introducing HRJ onto its F-15 Eagle, F-22 Raptor and C-17 Globemaster III planes.

The scheme is also part of the Air Force’s 2010 Energy Plan goal to be prepared to cost-competitively acquire 50% of domestic aviation fuel from an alternative fuel blend by 2016.

‘The Air Force recognises its role as a leader in energy management,’ says Terry Yonkers, assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics. ‘This demonstration underscores our commitment to advancing technologies that increase our use of renewable energy and reduce our consumption of imported foreign oil.’ n

Biomass-derived fuel tested on US air force plane

The A-10 Thunderbolt II was tested with biomass-derived fuel

The Fuelhandler NEWS

10 MAY 2011

NetJets, a private aviation company, has purchased 120 new Bombardier Global aircraft for $6.7 billion (€4.8 billion).

NetJets says it may also purchase an additional 70 Global aircraft in the future.

The current order includes 30 Global 5000 Vision and Global Express XRS Vision aircraft, with deliveries scheduled to begin in Q4 2012.

NetJets has also ordered 20 of Bombardier’s Global 7000 and Global 8000 jets, with deliveries due to start in 2017.

All the planes will have

cabin technologies designed specifically for the NetJet owners who say this is the biggest purchase in the history of private aviation.

NetJet says it is expanding its fleet over this year and the coming decade. The company’s chairman and CEO says: ‘We are taking advantage of the current lull in the private aviation market to position the NetJets’ fleet for the future. Although we anticipate 2011 to be another difficult year, when Bombardier begins to make deliveries of these aircraft, we will be ready to satisfy the market’s demand.’ n

Vancouver’s Environmental Assessment Office is studying an application submitted from the city’s airport about a new fuel delivery project.

The proposal, which is open for a 45-day public comment period, suggests building a fuel facility near the marine

terminal and constructing a pipeline from the facility to the airport to transport the fuel.

If the development goes ahead, the storage terminal will feature six steel storage tanks with a total capacity of 80 million litres, with additional space available for further expansions.

If the proposed plans come to fruition, a port would be constructed on the Fraser River,

15km upstream from the mouth, which would hold barges and tankers delivering the fuel.

The pipeline, if built, would be 15km long, 300mm in diameter and buried 2.5m underground.

The project was first shown to the Delta council in 2009 because the developers believe a new delivery system is needed as the airport cannot keep up with current and future fuel demands.

At present, most of the fuel transported to the airport comes via a 40-year-old pipeline from a Burnaby refinery which equates to at least 25 truck deliveries a day through Delta, if not more.

However, the project has faced opposition from environmental groups such as Surrey’s United Naturists, who say the project has environmental risks. n

NetJets places $6.7 billion plane order

Vancouver Airport proposes plans for new fuel pipeline and storage

The Hong Kong International Airport is to be extended, with proposed plans for a third runway at the site, the CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) says.

As part of the plans, Hong Kong also wants to improve its fuel efficiency by 1.5% a year until 2020, capping its emissions by then, with carbon-neutral growth.

It also wants to cut its net emissions in half by 2050 compared to 2005 levels and plans to do this by shortening

routes and implementing new fuel management practises to save more than 76 million tonnes of carbon.

The city plans to use biofuels to do this, reducing its carbon footprint by 80% and plans to test the technology further in the upcoming months, with the aim of commercialising the technology.

Giovanni Bisignani, director general and CEO of the IATA, criticised the oil industry’s support so far and urged them to do more.

He says: ‘The support from the oil companies has been disappointing, to be polite. They will cash HK$13.7 billion

(€1.29 billion) in refinery margins on jet fuel this year and their commitment to biofuels is peanuts. Governments need to set a fiscal and legal framework to support growth in the biofuel industry and ensure that aviation will have access to adequate supply.’

He says Air China plans to fly a Boeing 747-400 trans-Pacific with jatropha-based fuel supplied by Petro China and that the country has invested more than HK$30 billion in clean energy projects, double what was invested in the US, showing its dedication.

He says: ‘Given China's size and spectacular growth,

with focused policy decisions, it could easily emerge as a leader for aviation biofuels.’

He says HK$900 million was being invested in a new midfield terminal and taxiway project at the airport and urged for proposed plans for a third runway to come to fruition.

He says: ‘Increasing the cap on movements from 60 to 68 as suggested by the Civil Aviation Department might get the airport above 55 million passengers. Squeezing more numbers with larger aircraft worked for Kai Tak because it was a destination airport. With today's hub operations, we cannot expect the same.’ n

Hong Kong Airport plans expansion

BioJet International, a supply chain integrator in renewable jet fuel and related co-products for the aviation and transportation sectors, has received a $1.2 billion (€880 million) funding facility from Cayman-based Equity Partners Fund SPC. The funding structure is a three-year facility and will allow BioJet a significant source of capital for its supply chain capital projects programme, including feedstock and refining projects, as well as investment and strategic acquisitions.

‘This funding agreement with Equity Partners will form the cornerstone of BioJet capital projects and accretive EBIDTA positive acquisitions over the next five years,’ comments BioJet’s chairman Mitch Hawkins.

‘It enables a clear path to the expansion of our camelina, jatropha, and algae feedstock projects, as well as our Avia renewable jet refining projects in Latin America, Asia, and Europe. We will also be seeking acquisitions of listed companies which can add value geographically and strategically.’ n

$1.2b funding facility for BioJet

MAY 2011 11

Shell sold its 270,000 barrel-a-day Stanlow refinery to Essar Oil for $1.3 billion (€921 million), it was confirmed on 30 March 2011.

Essar made the offer for the refinery in February 2011 and the acquisition includes all oil products, chemicals manufacturing, terminal assets and the commercial bulk fuels and local marine businesses relating to the refinery. The Stanlow refinery is the country’s second biggest and produces about 3.5 billion litres of petrol a year, for both cars and aeroplanes, as well as other transport.

However, the purchase does not include any of Shell’s retail outlets, higher olefins plant and alcohol units, the lubricant oils blending plant, lubricants marketing business, Shell aviation operations at airports, non-local marine business, marine lubricants, commercial road transport marketing businesses, bitumen marketing business or the Shell technology centre at Thornton.

The acquisition is

expected to be finalised by the second half of 2011.

Shell’s downstream director Mark Williams says: ‘The decision to sell Stanlow is part of our drive to concentrate our global manufacturing portfolio on larger assets and, on completion, means we will have reduced our global refining exposure through a combination of asset sales and closures by a total of 1.6 million barrels since 2002.’

‘This deal serves Stanlow’s future well given Essar’s commitment to investment and intent to increase site throughputs,’ says Frank Willsdon, Stanlow general manager. ‘It can only benefit staff, business partners and the local community and region. After our many years with Shell, we now look forward to a smooth transition and moving forward with Essar.’

Following the sale, the two businesses will sign a five year crude supply contract from Shell to Essar and a long-term agreement for the supply of products in the UK from Essar to Shell. n

The British Army has opened a new air tanker facility at its RAF Brize Norton base in England.

The site, which is a two-bay hangar and support building, will be the main operating base for Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) and will feature maintenance facilities, a flight operations centre and FSTA office headquarters.

AirTanker was set up in 2008 to deliver the FSTA programme to the Ministry of Defence over 27 years and will provide the RAF with 14 new, specially converted aircraft based on the

commercial A330-200 airliner, which will be stored on the site.

The building will be able to receive the RAF’s new fleet of Airbus Trooping and Refuelling Aircraft which are due to come into operation in October 2011.

The aircrafts are replacing the RAF’s existing VC10 and Tristar fleets at RAF Brize Norton.

The army says that one of the main advantages of the new plane is that it can transport passengers and cargo whilst carrying out air-to-air refuelling.

On an average trip across the Atlantic it will be capable of refuelling four Tornados. n

Shell sells Stanlow refinery to Essar Oil for $1.3 billion

RAF opening new refuelling aircraft facility

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The Fuelhandler NEWS

12 MAY 2011

Fuel services at V.C. Bird International Airport in Antigua were disrupted on 8 March 2011 because Chevron fuel attendants took strike action to push the company for severance payments.

Many of the employees called in sick because the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU), their representative, did not come to an agreement with the company on a number of issues.

Due to the strike action, no airlines flying in and out of

Antigua were able to refuel.In 2010, Chevron said it was

selling off a large number of its fuel marketing and aviation businesses in the Caribbean to a French company.

Although the company’s Jamaican assets were not included in the selloff, Chevron has not ruled out any offers.

The ABWU’s strike action comes after it threatened industrial action if Chevron employees did not receive severance pay by the beginning of February 2011.

Although airlines were impacted by the strike, no flight cancellations were made. n

Air China has bought five 747-8 intercontinental jetliners from Boeing for an undisclosed sum.

It is the first Chinese carrier to purchase the passenger version of the new planes, which are ‘fuel-efficient’ Boeing says.

Air China says it will use the new planes to expand its international routes.

The planes can carry 467 passengers each in a three-class

configuration. The aircraft features a new wing design and flight deck and was built with interior features from the 787 Dreamliner plane model, which has ‘curved, upswept architecture that will give passengers a greater sense of space and comfort’.

The aircraft uses GEnx-2B engines which are ‘quieter, produce lower emissions and achieve better fuel economy’. There is also 26% more cargo space storage on board the planes. n

Strike affects fuel services at airport

Air China purchases Boeing planes

Boeing is supplying Air China with new planes

News in brief

CNAF anticipates fuel rise China National Aviation Fuel (CNAF) says it plans to achieve sales of RMB350 billion (€39 billion) a year by 2015.

The company, which is a state-owned air transportation logistics service provider, says it believes its jet fuel sales will hit 50 million tonnes within the next four years.

CNAF forecasted its gross assets to be worth about RMB80 billion and says its oil sales rose in 2010 by 37% to more than 28 million tonnes.

In 2008, CNAF’s assets were only worth RMB26.3 billion, showing a significant rise in the past couple of years. The organisation was established less than 10 years ago.

Airlines raise prices due to Libyan oil shortage Airlines have been raising their fuel prices following a shortage in supply due to the events happening in Libya.

Southwest Airlines has increased its fares on many of its routes by $10 (€7.20) for a return journey and other airlines, such as AMR’s American, Delta Air Lines and JetBlue have also pushed up ticket costs.

State-run oil companies in India have increased their jet fuel costs by 3.4% because of the rise in crude oil prices and this expense could also be passed on to the country’s airlines.

Ross Aviation has acquired the assets and the leasehold of the fixed-based operations (FBO) formerly operated by Atlantic Aviation at Fresno Yosemite International Airport in Fresno, California, US.

The FBO will consolidate into the Ross Aviation’s existing on-field operation, Corporate Aircraft.

With this acquisition, Corporate Aircraft now has more than 76,200m² of hangar

and 16,764m² of office space.Ross Aviation’s CEO Jeff

Ross says: ‘We are excited about increasing our capacity at Corporate Aircraft, which has been the premier FBO at Fresno Yosemite International Airport for more than two decades.’

He continued: ‘With the additional ramp and hangar space we are able to accommodate local demand and the relocation of aircraft from more congested and expensive FBOs and airports in the region. Furthermore, we now have the capacity to expand our aircraft maintenance operation.’ n

Ross Aviation acquires Atlantic Aviation’s FBO

NEWS The Fuelhandler

MAY 2011 13

The new international airport in Sri Lanka is to expand its initial fuelling capacity to 3 million litres.

The airport, which is being built in the south of the country, will have its fuelling services designed and funded

by Ceylon Petroleum, a refiner owned by the state.

The Maththala International Airport is being built by Chinese contractors with help from an Ex-Im Bank loan.

Originally the fuelling capacity was only meant to be 1 million litres but officials say this would not be enough to

support the airport’s facilities.The first phase of construction

at the airport is due for completion by 2012. The airport will feature a runway that is 3,500m long and 75m wide and will have the capability to handle large aircraft. The terminal will be able to deal with 1 million passengers a year to begin with.

The cost of construction is expected to be $190 million (€135.5 million) and will include a fuel rescue and fire rescue unit and create about 11,500 jobs.

The government says it wants to use the airport as a regional cargo hub as well as for holidaymakers. n

Lufthansa, the international airline, is using a bio-synthetic kerosene fuel from April 2011.

The fuel will be trialled for six months on the Airbus A321 during commercial flights from Hamburg to Frankfurt and back.

The engines will use the 50-50 biofuel and kerosene mix and researchers will study the effect of the fuel on engine maintenance and equipment life.

It is estimated that during the trial, Lufthansa will save about

1,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions.The project is called burnFAIR and is

part of an overall FAIR (Future Aircraft Research) initiative in which new engines, aircraft and other fuels, such as liquefied natural gas, are tested. For the Lufthansa testing, €2.5 million has been committed.

Lufthansa says it is the world’s first airline to test the fuel and Johann-Dietrich Wörner, chairman of the executive board of the German Aerospace Center says: ‘Our burnFAIR project is designed to research the long-term alternatives to conventional aviation jet fuel. The object

is to gather data on pollutants from biofuel in comparison with conventional kerosene over a longer period.’

He continues: ‘The measured pollution pattern related to diverse stresses in flight and the composition of the exhaust gases will allow us not only to draw conclusions about the compatibility of biofuel but also about the maintenance needs of aircraft engines. Since, above all, we expect a significant reduction in soot particles.’

The fuel producer is Neste Oil, a fuel refining and marketing company from Finland. n

New Sri Lankan airport increases fuel capacity

Lufthansa to test bio-synthetic kerosene fuel

The first Airbus Military A330 MRTT built for the Royal Saudi Air Force has completed its debut flight after flying for just over four hours.

The company says the plane’s two General Electric CF6 engines performed perfectly and that the aircraft is now in its final certification and qualification phase which will lead to delivery

scheduled for the end of 2011.Previously Airbus Military has

built the three of same aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force and two for the UK Royal Air Force.

The plane received its supplemental certificate from the European civil certification authority EASA in March 2010 and Airbus Military says it is the only new generation strategic tanker and transport aircraft flying today. n

The Kansas Air National Guard has tested its refuelling tanker with a new missile defense system via a number of different operations.

The KC-135 Stratotanker was tested on the Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany following months of work with the 190th Air Refuelling Wing, including four flights into Afghanistan.

The new system is able to detect and employ countermeasures against infrared air missiles and can provide 360˚ protection by jamming the missile’s guidance system through the use of a laser beam.

The new system is contained in a pod that is attached underneath the tanker’s fuselage. The equipment can be removed and mounted onto other crafts within minutes, allowing for flexibility and cost savings.

Keith Lang, commander of the 190th Air Refueling Wing says: ‘Anti-missile technology is long overdue on the KC-135. The Stratotanker has flown in harm’s way since Vietnam and the time is right to add this extremely important defensive capability.’ n

Airbus Military plane for Saudi Air Force completes first flight

Kansas Air National Guard tests new missile defense on refuelling tanker

The Airbus Military A330 MRTT which has been built for the Saudi Air Force

The Fuelhandler NEWS

14 MAY 2011

Lufthansa is to purchase 30 new Airbus neo planes for its passenger flights and five Boeing 777 freighters for its business segment.

The planes are being bought following the airline’s recently announced profits for 2010, which showed the company made revenues of €27.3 billion, up from €22.3 billion the previous year.

Lufthansa says the new aircraft will have better fuel efficiency and lower operating costs, as well as noise levels and emissions, in comparison

to the company’s older planes.The purchase is part of

the airlines expansion and modernisation plans and the order will include 25 A320neo planes and five A321neo aircraft which have been designed for use in continental Europe.

The planes are expected to be delivered by 2016 and will burn 15% less fuel than the models the airline currently uses, making 10-15% less noise than current limits.

The Boeing 777 freighters are expected to be ready in 2013 and the entire price for the purchase is about $4 billion (€2.84 billion). n

Cathay Pacific is to invest in modernising its fleet of airplanes by adding a further 27 aircraft to its supply.

The airline is to purchase 15 more Airbus A330-300s, two Airbus A350-900s and 10 Boeing 777-300ERs for a total price of HK$51 billion (€4.6 billion).

The new aircraft are expected to be delivered before the end of 2015 although the airline plans to order a total of 91 new planes by 2019.

Cathay Pacific is also investing HK$5.5 billion in the Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal

now being built at Hong Kong International Airport, and another HK$1 billion in new products and services, including a new Business Class seat, from now until the end of 2020.

‘Our plan is to retire our 21 Boeing 747-400 and 11 Airbus A340-300 aircraft before the end of the decade as we take delivery progressively of new generation aircraft that will provide much greater fuel and operating cost efficiencies. This is important both for environmental reasons and from a financial perspective as fuel remains our greatest single cost,’ says Cathay Pacific CEO, Tony Tyler. n

Lufthansa purchases 35 new planes

Cathay Pacific investing HK$51bn into new planes

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says some key jet fuel infrastructure facilities in Japan have been damaged in the tsunami and earthquake and as a result supplies are low.

The IATA has been coordinating with airlines to make the most of the existing fuel supplies and creating voluntary tinkering of jet fuel. The organisation is also briefing airlines and

officials on industry agreed rationing regimes should supply shortages if they arise.

The IATA says it is too early to assess the long-term impact of the Japanese tragedy on the global air transport industry but it predicts there will be a major slowdown in Japanese air travel in the short-term.

‘Japan is an important link in global air transport. The $62.5 billion Japanese aviation market represents 6.5% of worldwide scheduled traffic and 10% of the industry’s revenues. A major slowdown in Japan is

expected in the short-term. And the fortunes of the industry will likely not improve until the effect of a reconstruction rebound is felt in the second half of the year,’ says Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s director general and CEO.

However, major organisations, such as the World Health Organisation and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) say there are no restrictions to normal air transport operations at Japan’s major airports, including both Haneda and Narita. n

IATA says Japan jet fuel supplies running low

Avalon Airport is to build a fuel pipeline to help deliver aviation fuel in a deal with Shell Geelong Refinery.

At the end of 2011, Premier of Victoria Ted Baillieu proposed the pipeline as part of an AUS$50 million (€37 million) first term investment which also included plans for a rail transport network.

The plans have now been approved and construction is due to begin at the end of 2011. Avalon Airport CEO, Justin Giddings says the pipeline would be just over 1km long.

He says the airport was tying itself to Shell in order to improve but that Shell wanted to help the airport to expand.

To start with, 50 million litres of fuel a year would be

delivered but Avalon says it is hoping this figure would grow.

The pipeline has its benefits, saving 10 cents a litre on delivery costs on fuel from Melbourne which could also help to cut AUS$17 off the price of an international plane ticket.

Currently fuel to the airport is delivered from Melbourne by trucks.

‘As the lowest cost airport in Australia, we want to ensure we don’t lose our competitive advantage. This announcement solves two issues – improved accessibility and lower prices for travellers and lower fuel costs for carriers,’ Giddings says.

Avalon Airport is currently home to low cost airlines Jetstar and Tiger Airways, Qantas’ Boeing 747 and heavy maintenance and engineering facilities. n

The Ghana Oil Company has branched into the aviation fuel sector within the nation and now controls about 30% of the country’s production.

It is the first company from the Ghana that is to work within the sector, which was previously dominated by multi-national companies following

the acquisition of Joint User Hydrant Installation at the Kotoka International Airport.

The company says it has specially trained its staff to deal with the ‘sensitive and technical issues within the industry’.

Ghana Oil Company has entered into a strategic partnership with the Ghana Air Force to put up a facility at the Takoradi Air Force base to provide aviation fuel to aircraft operation in the area. n

Avalon Airport to build aviation fuel pipeline with Shell

Ghana Oil Company branches into aviation fuel

NEWS The Fuelhandler

MAY 2011 15

Lockheed Martin has revealed its first aircraft that is part of a new fleet of MC-130J Combat Shadow IIs for the US Air Force’s Special Operations Command (AFSOC).

Lockheed Martin won a contract to build 15 MC-130Js, replacing the older existing fleet.

The US Air Force will buy up to 20 MC-130Js against an approved requirement for 37 aircraft.

The new plane is modelled on a KC-130J tanker baseline and will have an enhanced service life wing, enhanced cargo handling system, a universal aerial refuelling receptacle slipway installation (boom refuelling receptacle), more powerful electrical generators, an electro-optical and infrared sensor, a combat systems operator station on

the flight deck and provisions for the large aircraft infrared countermeasures system.

Donald Wurster, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command says: ‘The MC-130J is one of the most versatile tactical airlifters in the world. Its multi-mission capabilities will increase the combat performance of special operations forces worldwide. The MC-130J’s advanced sensors, expanded avionics and universal aerial refuelling capability will enable the highly skilled airmen of AFSOC to operate under difficult conditions with unmatched speed and capability.’

Lorraine Martin, Lockheed Martin’s VP for C-130 programs adds: ‘As the most flexible airlifter in the world, this new Combat Shadow configuration demonstrates the unmatched platform capability of the Super Hercules.’ n

Lockheed Martin reveals first MC-130J aircraft

A plane bound for the UK was forced to land at Gatwick Airport after a fuel leak dropped more than a tonne of petrol into the sky, an accident report has revealed.

More than 200 passengers were on board the Thomas Cook Boeing 757 flight on June 12 2010 and after taking off from Bodrum in Turkey, the aircraft leaked an estimated 2,860lb of fuel.

The fuel leakage reportedly came from the left engine of an RB211 Rolls-Royce Unit, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch report said.

After the incident, the airfield needed to be closed and a fuel warning sign came on in the air, with the pilot considering diverting to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport before deciding to land in Gatwick in the UK instead.

The passengers evacuated out of the right hand side of the plane because there was a ‘considerable amount of fuel spilled on the runway’ the report said.

The source of the fuel leak was thought to have come from a pipe coupling situated at the fuel pump on the left hand side engine, maintenance engineers said. n

Virgin Blue, the Australian airline, is to purchase up to 18 ATR72 turboprop aircraft as part of its recently announced strategic alliance with Sky West airlines.

The first four of the ATR Turboprop 68-seater aircraft would be introduced from the middle of 2011, with a further four to arrive next year.

Virgin Blue CEO and managing director John Borghetti says: ‘The ATR is the best aircraft to operate on regional routes throughout Australia. It provides the greatest fuel efficiency and passenger comfort for this category of aircraft.’

He continues: ‘The ATR will form the foundation of our regional network plans, with the first six ATRs replacing our current Embraer E170 fleet and the additional aircraft flying to new regional destinations.’

Virgin Blue says the ATR72 aircraft produces between 45% and 50% lower CO2 emissions and consumes 40% to 45% less fuel on typical regional sectors, when compared to the Embraer E170 jet.

Under the wet lease arrangement, Skywest will provide the technical and cabin crew and source the maintenance provider of the fleet.

The announcement comes after the airline chose to raise its fuel levy by AU$100 (€71) for some international flights in order to cope with rises in global fuel prices.

The increase on international fuel surcharges came into force on 21 March 2011 and happened just after a previous increase in international fuel and baggage charges by the airline on 17 February 2011.

Under the changes, a return flight to the US now costs $330 for the fuel surcharge, up from $230.

A return flight to Abu Dhabi, Europe and the UK costs a further $40 and domestic fares will rise between $6 and $10 per sector.

‘Oil prices are reaching increasingly high levels, with the average price of Singapore Jet Fuel rising by around 50% since September 2010, from US$88 a barrel to US$131’, says Virgin Blue CEO and MD John Borghetti. ‘The increases announced today go some way to addressing the latest rises in global fuel prices; however they will not recover the full cost. In making these changes, we have been very conscious of balancing our commitment to providing competitive fares with the operational costs of our business.’ n

Report finds fuel leak is to blame for emergency landing

Virgin Blue ups its prices and purchases new aircraft

Puma Energy has acquired ExxonMobil’s Central American fuel marketing and supply businesses in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.

Following the sale, the company will now have an additional 290 fuel service stations and eight fuel storage terminals, four aviation fuel supply businesses, and two marine fuel supply businesses – in Guatemala and Panama.

Puma Energy will also be acquiring ExxonMobil’s Manref Refinery in Managua, Nicaragua and its 65% stake in the RASA refinery in El Salvador.

Puma Energy’s chairman Pierre Eladari says: ‘The deal not only enhances our existing business, but also adds three new markets. It brings so much value for us and we believe we are in the process of creating exciting new businesses, new opportunities for staff and a new era for fuel supply in Central America. We have the technical and commercial capabilities, the ability to supply and the ability to deliver. It’s a hugely exciting opportunity.’

Puma Energy already has fuel marketing businesses in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras and also fuel supply businesses across the Caribbean, including in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. n

Puma Energy buys ExxonMobil’s downstream businesses

The Fuelhandler NEWS

16 MAY 2011

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MAY 2011 17

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A plane skidded off a runway because of a minor fuel leak on 10 April 2011 at Sunriver Airport in Oregon, US.

Fire-fighters were called to the scene and the only person on board, the pilot, was not injured.

Fire-fighters stopped the leak which reportedly occurred because of damage to the landing gear section of the plane.

The private single-engine Cesena Centurion 210 plane accident caused the runway to shut for a number of hours before the aircraft could be taken away from the area. n

Plane skids off runway because of fuel leak

Jetstar, the low cost Australian airline, is looking to use its Asian hub for expansion even though the current aviation market is slow because of the rise in jet fuel prices.

Jetstar is increasing its destinations to 11 with Cairns, Australia, and is also to connect

its New Zealand flights to Asia.The flight schedule rise

follows a recent introduction of flights between Perth and the Gold Coast and Perth and Brisbane, new schedules that were introduced at the end of 2010.

Jetstar says that even though it is a tough time for the aviation industry, the airline is still gaining more customers because of its low-priced fares. n

NASA has plugged $16.5 million (€11.4 million) for research into making aeroplanes greener and quieter with the designs, to be built between 2030 and 2035.

Since October 2008, the technology has been developed and concepts and models will be further tested in computer simulations, laboratories and wind tunnels.

The research has been funded by NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate in Washington, US, and the company’s Fundamental Aeronautics Program is helping to develop the technology.

Under the project, the Boeing Research and Technology team will look at truss-based wing aircraft designs and hybrid electric engine technology.

Boeing is to study lightweight materials and engine concepts for even more

futuristic planes that could fly between 2040 and 2045.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) team is also working on a design that incorporates a dual fuselage, two partial cylinders placed side by side, that would create a wider structure than the traditional tube-and-wing airliner. The team says it will develop the technologies identified during the first study and build a model for testing. MIT is also to explore the challenges of high-efficiency, small-core engine technology - the idea that it is not necessary to increase an engine’s size to increase efficiency in delivering power.

Under the project, the Northrop Grumman team will also test models of the leading edge of the wing, aiming to create a smooth edge without the current standard slats, aeroplanes would be quieter and consume less fuel at cruise altitudes because of the smoother flow of air over the wings. n

Jetstar expands services amid jet fuel rises

NASA plugs $16.5 million into plane development programme

The Fuelhandler NEWS

18 MAY 2011

The Airbus Military A330, which has been built for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force, was successfully tested during a three hour flight.

The fuel capacity for the plane is 111 tonnes which allows the aircraft to carry out air-to-air refuelling missions without an additional fuel tank.

The A330 also can be built with air-to-air refuelling systems including an advanced airbus military aerial refuelling boom system, a pair of under-wing hose and drogue pods and a fuselage refuelling unit.

The first three planes will be handed over to Abu Dhabi at around the end of 2011 and the final phase for the flight-testing will lead to the other planes’ deliveries by the Q2 2012. n

A report on airline testing of oil from jatropha has shown it could be a potential substitute for traditional jet fuel.

Business Matchmaking, a non-profit company that works with airlines, says Japan Airlines, Air New Zealand, Continental, Brazil’s TAM Airlines and most recently the Mexican carrier Interjet, in cooperation with European manufacturer Airbus, were all tested with the jatropha fuel.

The report, written by Yale’s

School of Environmental Studies and funded by Boeing, says the weed-like plant, which is normally grown on land that is unusable for farming, ‘can deliver strong environmental and socioeconomic benefits’.

Mission NewEnergy, the company that supplies the jatropha, employs 140,000 people in India who produce the crops without ‘compromising food supply or food pricing’, the company says.

Mission NewEnergy is currently distributing the product in Europe, and launching US operations,

James Garton, president of the company’s US operations, says: ‘We are particularly pleased to learn of repeated testing of jatropha in aviation with positive results. With the unprecedented challenges facing the airlines as a result of the constant increase in the price of jet fuel, and the global need to accept sustainability as a key to environmental responsibility, the Jatropha solution is timely and efficient.’

In addition to civilian aviation, there are studies underway by the military with regard to jatropha oil. Wilbert

Pearson, chairman of Mission NewEnergy’s Advisory Board, adds: ‘The military has a huge and continuing need for efficient and affordable fuel and jatropha appears to meet those standards while also meeting environmental demands.’

Ethanol was previously deemed suitable for planes but was later ruled out because it freezes at relatively low altitudes.

The study by Yale showed that greenhouse gas reductions of up to 60% from jatropha-based fuel could be made, when compared to petroleum-based jet fuel. n

The Airbus Military tests plane with 111 tonne fuelling system

Report shows jatropha could be good substitute for traditional jet fuel

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US has issued an emergency directive, which requires operators of specific early Boeing 737 models to conduct initial and repetitive electromagnetic inspections for fatigue damage.

This action will initially apply to about 175 aircraft worldwide, 80 of which are US-registered aircraft, of which most are operated by Southwest Airlines.

The FAA airworthiness directive will require initial inspections using electromagnetic, or eddy-current, technology in specific areas of the aircraft fuselage on certain Boeing 737 aircraft in the -300, -400 and -500 series that have accumulated more than 30,000 flight cycles. It will then require repetitive inspections at regular intervals.

In November 2010, the FAA published a rule designed specifically to address widespread fatigue damage in aging aircraft. The rule meant aircraft manufacturers had to establish a number of flight cycles or hours a plane can operate and be free from fatigue damage. The rule also requires aircraft manufacturers to incorporate the limits into their maintenance programs.

‘Safety is our number one priority,’ says transportation secretary Ray LaHood. ‘An incident is very serious and could result in additional action depending on the outcome of the investigation.’

‘The FAA has comprehensive programs in place to protect commercial aircraft from structural damage as they age,’ adds FAA administrator Randy Babbitt. ‘This action is designed to detect cracking in a specific part of the aircraft that cannot be spotted with visual inspection.’ n

FAA implements emergency directive for Boeing planes

The Brunswick Executive Airport has reopened in Brunswick, Maine, US, following a redevelopment which should see the airport sell about 100,000 gallons of fuel a year.

Throughout its first year the owner of the airport, Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA) predicts the airport will witness about 9,000 aircraft movements, mostly transient business and general aviation traffic.

FlightLevel Aviation has been hired to provide fixed-based services on the ground, a space which will include a 15,240m² hangar and a runway measuring 2,440m² in length.

The former hangar, which previously housed planes from Kestrel Aviation, is to be developed into a turboprop storage facility.

It is thought the airport will be used for business aircraft and a refuelling stopping point for transatlantic business flights.

Currently there are not any instrument approaches or control towers in operation. n

Brunswick Executive Airport opens in US

TECHNOLOGy NEWS The Fuelhandler

MAY 2011 19

Cobham to supply Boeing with hoses and drogues Cobham Mission Equipment says it has been chosen by Boeing to supply hose and drogue aerial refuelling systems to be used on the US Air Force’s new KC-46A Tanker Aircraft.

Boeing has won a hotly-contested $35 billion (€26 billion) contract to supply the Air Force with new tankers.

Cobham says its systems will be manufactured at its air-to-air refuelling facilities in Davenport, Iowa, US.

Each of the 179 tankers are to be fitted with Cobham’s centreline drogue system and about 30 tankers will also be provided with a pair of wing-mounted aerial refuelling pods.

The company has not yet said how much the deal is worth for the company. n

Murcia Airport Concession will invest almost €5 million in building fuel storage and distribution facilities at a new airport in Murcia, Spain, which will be looked after by CLH Aviación.

CLH Aviación, which belongs to the CLH Group, won the contract to run the storage and distribution of aviation fuels and lubricants at the new international airport in the Autonomous Region.

CLH will also build the facilities for the aviation fuel and lubricant storage with

an investment of nearly €5 million.The company will be the sole provider for fuel at

the site, which will be brought to the airport in tank trucks from the company’s facility in Escombreras.

The storage tanks and quality control will be serviced by CLH, which will also provide aviation product service-into-plane. The company says it aims for this service to be ‘environmentally friendly’.

CLH already supplies aviation fuel at San Javier airport in Murcia and has a 50km pipeline that connects its refinery in Cartagena to another facility in Alicante. n

BioMCN and the Investment and Development Agency of North Netherlands (NOM), along with Linde, Visser & Smit Hanab and Siemens are building the world’s biggest biomass refinery in Delfzijl, the Netherlands.

The new refinery will be built next to BioMCN’s existing biofuel plant which opened in 2010. The companies

have asked the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation for some funding for the project, and the refinery will process about 1.5 million tonnes of residual wood when completed.

The plant will yield more than 500 million litres of second generation bio-methanol, although a large amount of money still needs to be invested for the construction of the new infrastructure as well as for the construction of the refinery.

The companies are becoming involved in the framework of

the European Program NER300 , which provides funding for large-scale projects that capture and store CO2 or allow for new technologies to develop and implement renewable energy.

‘We appreciate the importance that the European Committee attaches to the reduction of CO₂ emissions and the stimulus to produce and use renewable energy. With this consortium we want to make a significant contribution to the availability of second generation bio-fuels throughout Europe,’ says Rob Voncken, CEO of BioMCN. n

CLH Aviación awarded contract for new Murcia airport

Biggest biomass refinery to be built in Delfzijl

FuelMaster, part of Syn-Tech, a fuel automation system company located in Tallahassee, Florida, US has been sending US troops hamper boxes.

The ‘Troop Boxes’ are sent to soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines in the Middle East each month and feature food, personal hygiene products and reading material.

Recipients are often FuelMaster product users and Paul Johnson, the company’s director of government operations, says: ‘We’re thankful for the sacrifices that our troops are making over there, so as a company, we feel it’s the least we can do

to show our appreciation.’The company has been

donating supplies to troops since 2003 during the Iraqi war and was originally exclusively a defense contractor.

Johnson says: ‘A large percentage of our employees are veterans from all four branches of the military, so we understand what it’s like to endure the hardships of deploying to a warzone.’

Employee Cynthia Saldivar recently nominated her husband, a Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps, to receive a box. Her husband is currently fighting in Helmand Province in Afghanistan.

Johnson adds: ‘We enjoy sending boxes to all troops, but that one was special.

Knowing that it will benefit a member of the Syn-Tech

family really helped motivate people to get involved.’ n

FuelMaster sends goodie boxes to US troops

FuelMaster is sending food and toilettries kits to troops in the Middle East

Gammon Technical Products, a company specialising in aviation fuel handling and control, has launched its new HydroKit Fuel Water Detector Sampler.

The closed loop Hydrokit Tester improves the job of testing for water in jet fuel with the use of the small device mounted onto a pumping facility.

The device enables users to test the fuel without any need for test jars or samples to be taken. The internal mechanism allows samples to be delivered to the Velcon HydroKit from a pressurized line without the pressure reaching the glass vial.

There is hardly any employee exposure to the fuel and the product does not have any jars or containers to keep clean. A flushing feature is built into the design. n

Honeywell, a terminal services provider, has created a Calibron prover which has been specifically engineered with no metal-to-metal contact inside the flow tube, ensuring minimal wear to provide easy service for the user.

The Honeywell Calibron small volume prover provides consistent and accurate flow verification. It is compact and lightweight, making it suitable for equipment manufacturers, calibration

experts, fuel farm managers and airlines.The design allows for accurate flow

verification regardless of variations in temperature, volume, viscosity or pressure. It also results in low pressure drop even at the high flow rates required for fuelling a large number of aircrafts on demand.

The closed loop system is calibrated by a NIST traceable and NMi-certified lab to meet the guidelines of API 4.2. The design also means there is less compliance risk because the meters are brough reliably within state weights and measures tolerances to calibrate the meter to zero. n

The Fuelhandler TECHNOLOGy NEWS

20 MAY 2011

Bruker, a materials research and quality control instrumentation company, has launched FUELex, a portable fuel analyser for rapid and simultaneous analysis of multiple jet and diesel fuel properties.

The FUELex analyser utilizes a fuel library built from commercial and military sources and is a suitable device for monitoring changes in jet and diesel fuel quality, providing results on over 12 properties simultaneously.

With its fibre optic dip probe, FUELex sampling consumes no fuel and requires no special sample preparation. Current sample type capabilities include Jet A, Jet A-1, JP5, JP8, Diesel and Diesel 1. The results from the testing are ready in less than three seconds after activating the measurement.

The FUELex permits multiple properties of the sample fuel to be measured simultaneously and correlated to ASTM parameters. These properties include API gravity, aromatics, cetane index, density, distillation temperatures,

freeze point, flash point, hydrogen content, viscosities and saturates.

Operation requires minimal training and is performed with touch screen commands. The display can be set for simple Pass / Fail readouts and the operation leaves little chance for operational error. FUELex is also t