Aircraft Refueling

§139.321 Handling and storing of hazardous substances and materials.

(a) Each certificate holder who acts as a cargo handling agent must establish and maintain procedures for the protection of persons and property on the airport during the handling and storing of any material regulated by the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR 171 through 180) that is, or is intended to be, transported by air. These procedures must provide for at least the following:

(1) Designated personnel to receive and handle hazardous substances and materials.

(2) Assurance from the shipper that the cargo can be handled safely, including any special handling procedures required for safety.

(3) Special areas for storage of hazardous materials while on the airport.

(b) Each certificate holder must establish and maintain standards authorized by the Administrator for protecting against fire and explosions in storing, dispensing, and otherwise handling fuel (other than articles and materials that are, or are intended to be, aircraft cargo) on the airport. These standards must cover facilities, procedures, and personnel training and must address at least the following:

(1) Bonding.

(2) Public protection.

(3) Control of access to storage areas.

(4) Fire safety in fuel farm and storage areas.

(5) Fire safety in mobile fuelers, fueling pits, and fueling cabinets.

(6) Training of fueling personnel in fire safety in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section. Such training at Class III airports must be completed within 12 consecutive calendar months after June 9, 2004.

(7) The fire code of the public body having jurisdiction over the airport.

(c) Each certificate holder must, as a fueling agent, comply with, and require all other fueling agents operating on the airport to comply with, the standards established under paragraph (b) of this section and must perform reasonable surveillance of all fueling activities on the airport with respect to those standards.

(d) Each certificate holder must inspect the physical facilities of each airport tenant fueling agent at least once every 3 consecutive months for compliance with paragraph (b) of this section and maintain a record of that inspection for at least 12 consecutive calendar months.

(e) The training required in paragraph (b)(6) of this section must include at least the following:

(1) At least one supervisor with each fueling agent must have completed an aviation fuel training course in fire safety that is authorized by the Administrator. Such an individual must be trained prior to initial performance of duties, or enrolled in an authorized aviation fuel training course that will be completed within 90 days of initiating duties, and receive recurrent instruction at least every 24 consecutive calendar months.

(2) All other employees who fuel aircraft, accept fuel shipments, or otherwise handle fuel must receive at least initial on-the-job training and recurrent instruction every 24 consecutive calendar months in fire safety from the supervisor trained in accordance with paragraph (e)(1) of this section.

(f) Each certificate holder must obtain a written confirmation once every 12 consecutive calendar months from each airport tenant fueling agent that the training required by paragraph (e) of this section has been accomplished. This written confirmation must be maintained for 12 consecutive calendar months.

(g) Unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator, each certificate holder must require each tenant fueling agent to take immediate corrective action whenever the certificate holder becomes aware of noncompliance with a standard required by paragraph (b) of this section. The certificate holder must notify the appropriate FAA Regional Airports Division Manager immediately when noncompliance is discovered and corrective action cannot be accomplished within a reasonable period of time.

(h) FAA Advisory Circulars contain methods and procedures for the handling and storage of hazardous substances and materials that are acceptable to the Administrator.

Fire Extinguishers

Per NFPA 407: "4.1.10.3* ABC multipurpose dry chemical fire extinguishers (ammonium phosphate) shall not be placed on aircraft fueling vehicles, airport fuel servicing ramps or aprons, or at airport fuel facilities that are located within 150 m (500 ft) of aircraft operating areas."

And here's why.

Air Transport Newsletter, by Ronald Horn, Nov./Dec. 1983, "Class A-B-C Extinguishers Damage Aircraft"

"The A-B-C extinguishers have excellent fire-fighting capability, but the mono-ammonium-phosphate chemical agent melts and flows when it comes into contact with heat. This is how it gets its Class A rating. This chemical is highly corrosive to aluminum, and once it contacts hot aluminum and flows down into the structural cracks and crevices it cannot be washed out as the B-C dry chemical agents can.

Once an A-B-C extinguisher is used on an airplane, it is necessary to disassemble the aircraft piece by piece and rivet by rivet to accomplish cleanup. Failure to do so will result in destruction of the aircraft by corrosion."

DOT placards; required on all four sides of aviation mobile refuelers per NFPA 407

(note diesel is on here for reference only, as it is not a direct concern of the FAA. For responders these DOT placards are used in conjunction an Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) to determine how a particular hazardous material will be dealt with.)

The FAA uses the standards contained in the most recent edition of National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) 407, Standard for Aircraft Fuel Servicing. NFPA 407 provides a standard for the storage and delivery of aviation fuel in an airport environment.

Pipeline colors and labeling per EI 1542 Identification markings for dedicated aviation fuel manufacturing and distribution facilities, airport storage and mobile fuelling equipment

Not long after the 2017 edition of NFPA 407 came out I created these graphics to add our airport operations personnel in inspecting mobile refuelers and fuel farms.


Below are samples of visual checks I created for mobile refuelers and fuel farms.

Pipeline colors and labeling per EI 1542 Identification markings for dedicated aviation fuel manufacturing and distribution facilities, airport storage and mobile fueling equipment

The American Petroleum Institute used to regulate aviation fueling maters (e.g. API/IP 1542 Identification Markings for Dedicated Aviation Fuel Manufacturing and Distribution Facilities, Airport Storage and Mobile Fueling Equipment) however as of 2010 that has all been handed over to the Energy Institute.

EI - Publishing | Aviation

Aviation fuel handling

EI 1529 Aviation fueling hose and hose assemblies

EI/JIG Standard 1530 Quality assurance requirements for the manufacture, storage and distribution of aviation fuel to airports (A4 and PDF download)

EI/JIG Standard 1530 Quality assurance requirements for the manufacture, storage and distribution of aviation fuel to airports (A5)

EI 1535 Minimum criteria to determine acceptability of additives for use in multi-product pipelines co-transporting jet fuel

EI 1540 Design, construction, commissioning, maintenance and testing of aviation fueling facilities

EI Standard 1541 Requirements for internal protective coating systems used in aviation fuel handling systems

EI 1542 Identification markings for dedicated aviation fuel manufacturing and distribution facilities, airport storage and mobile fueling equipment

EI 1550 Handbook on equipment used for the maintenance and delivery of clean aviation fuel

EI 1560 Recommended practice for the operation, inspection, maintenance and commissioning of aviation fuel hydrant systems and hydrant system extensions

EI 1570 Handbook on electronic sensors for the detection of particulate matter and/or free water during aircraft refueling

EI Specification 1581 Specifications and laboratory qualification procedures for aviation fuel filter/water separators

EI 1582 Specification for similarity for EI 1581 aviation jet fuel filter/separators

EI 1583 Laboratory tests and minimum performance levels for aviation fuel filter monitors

EI 1584 Four-inch hydrant system components and arrangements

EI 1585 Guidance in the cleaning of aviation fuel hydrant systems at airports

EI 1588 Laboratory tests and minimum performance levels for aviation fuel water barrier filters

EI 1589 Materials compatibility testing for aviation fuel filter elements and fuel sensing devices

EI 1590 Specifications and qualification procedures for aviation fuel microfilters

EI 1592 Design, functional requirements and laboratory testing protocols for electronic bulk water detectors for use in aviation fueling

EI 1594 Initial pressure strength testing of airport fuel hydrant systems with water

EI 1596 Design and construction of aviation fuel filter vessels

EI Recommended Practice 1597 Procedures for overwing fueling to ensure delivery of the correct fuel grade to an aircraft

EI 1598 Design, functional requirements and laboratory testing protocols for electronic sensors to monitor free water and/or particulate matter in aviation fuel

EI Specification 1599 Laboratory tests and minimum performance levels for aviation fuel dirt defense filters

CRC/EI Research report: Charge generation and dissipation in aviation fuel handling with filter monitors

Aviation fuel quality

EI 1535 Minimum criteria to determine acceptability of additives for use in multi-product pipelines co-transporting jet fuel