Refuellers

[canberra]

Yes the yellow is to make them more visible, although I wonder how long before they go back to green with a yellow stripe!!!

[ted angus]

ALL MT in the RAF is established against a "role".
Those established for UK airfields whose Sqns do not have a tac role should be yellow. All recent contracts for such vehicles calls for yellow. older vehicles in green ( normally satin BSC 241) will be/ are being repainted as repainting becomes due. Those on units with a Tac role which could be deployed with that unit are mostly green.
There are also vehicles with a deployable role; These were delivered in Matt IRR Green to BSC 285 and some in Light Stone BSC 361 and some repainted into the new desert cam BSC 380 . Some of the Matt green ones have disruptive pattern black. Once upon a time the RAF had a reserve fleet of critical vehicles referred to as second echelon , they were in addition to the Geographic ( formerly command) reserves. The current policy is that the deployable fleet known as the OOA ( out of area) fleet and the geo reserves are held on units and kept in regular use. It has been found they are far more serviceable with this policy. The geo reserve is established to provide fill-in for vehicles under going repair or overhaul.

The Haz label on the bowser identifies its content; the bowser colour has nothingh to do with its content.

[kernowmc]

Hi all new here, saw WJT had posted a pic of a Hippo at Doncaster in June 1981, i used to drive (possibly if same one) said Hippo back then, unfortunately cannot see the picture to confirm could you re post it or say where you saw the pic so i can see it cheers Vic.

[canberra]

On the subject of refuellers and colour schemes etc did anyone serve at Leeming in the late seventies/early eighties? They had a large number of Jet Provosts and also a large number of Bulldogs, and of course JPs used AVTUR and Bulldogs used AVGAS. I believe that the bowsers were kept in different MT yards and there was apparently a red line that seperated the JPs and Bulldogs on the ASP and that the different bowsers actually used a different route to the ASP. Im suprised that they didnt even paint the bowsers differently.

[jeta1]

Interesting to hear about the AVTUR and AVGAS vehicles being kept in separate depots and aircraft being kept separate on the ramp; I wish it could as well defined in civvy street.

Misfuelling / grade cross over is a major hazard in the refuelling industry, however operating from separate depots and keeping aircraft separate generally does not happen when working in a commercial environment. Given the potential for fatal outcome (more of a problem supplying AVTUR into an AVGAS aircraft) the risk is controlled by operational procedures, process and highly focused training for those involved in delivering the service.

Given that the ultimate responsibility for the safety of an aircraft lies with the pilot you might be surprised to learn that we experience instances where pilots have been known to request the wrong grade of fuel or be unaware of the fuel required by their aircraft. This is not a frequent occurrence but it does happen and indicates why fuelling staff have to be so well trained as they are the last line of defence against this problem occurring.

[canberra]

There was the infamous case at Valley when a Basset was refuelled with AVTUR instead of AVGAS, unfortunately it crashed onn take off and the nav was killed. I believe that it was after that that the RAF started getting a member of the crew to supervise turnrounds on landaways.

[jeta1]

That is the worst case scenario ... an AVGAS aircraft being refuelled with AVTUR, there can be enough fuel in the system for the aircraft to successfully start up and become airborne before the AVTUR reaches the engine ... at which point it stops dead. Turbine engines on the other hand have a tolerance which allows them to run on virtually any liquid fuel, there is the likelihood of engine damage but they will never the less run even at diminished efficiency. Any system, either military or civilian, which helps to reduce the likelihood of misfuelling is to be encouraged ... however you may be surprised at the push-back (from pilots) fuelling staff receive when trying to enforce procedures designed to eliminate this risk.

[AlexKett]

Hi all new here, saw WJT had posted a pic of a Hippo at Doncaster in June 1981, i used to drive (possibly if same one) said Hippo back then, unfortunately cannot see the picture to confirm could you re post it or say where you saw the pic so i can see it cheers Vic.

Was that at Finningley or the airfield where the South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum (aka AeroVenture) currently resides?

[Barney]

Army Air Corps bowsers, and any tankers in the Army, had to have the military fule code colours painted on all loading points and couplings, for instance Avtur was black and white strips, Avgas was red and blue stripes, to ensure that the right product was loaded into the truck then pumped into the right aircraft. Not that this stopped all disasters, but it did put the onus on the operator!

[jeta1]

...... Not that this stopped all disasters, but it did put the onus on the operator!

Very valid point, the fuelling operator is the last line of defence in making sure right grade goes into aircraft .... On civvy street the experience/professionalism of the fuelling operator has saved the odd pilots skin (possibly more than that!)