Refuelling a big problem for small planes at airport

GEORGE NEWS - The avgas (aviation gas) refuelling facility for light aircraft at George Airport is insufficient and potentially dangerous, but Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) and fuel supplier Air BP do not seem to realise that there is need and urgency for a more streamlined and safer system for the growing number of general aviation operators based here.

This is according to Glenn van Heerden, a private plane owner who rents a hangar in the general aviation area at George Airport.

He says frustration leads to some operators choosing to fly to Mossel Bay for refuelling to avoid long queues and waiting times at the refuelling facility at George.

"In addition, there is also the potential for an accident between a general aviation aircraft and a scheduled aircraft (airliner) due to restricted space," he says.

The apron where airliners park for passengers to embark and disembark is very close to the avgas refuelling facility. "When four or more scheduled airliners are parked in the apron while at the same time small aircraft are trying to refuel with avgas, it becomes a problem. This is because the location of the refuelling facility is outdated due to growth in air traffic to the George area," says Van Heerden.

"When I refuelled recently, there were three scheduled aircraft parked in the apron and I was second in line in the avgas line. Within half an hour, there were two more planes lined up behind me with the last plane parked into the taxiway.

"There is no room for parallel parking because then you encroach into the scheduled aircraft parking area. Ahead of me was a bakkie and tank trailer from the George Flying College filling up 2 000 litres and this took over 55 minutes. If more planes arrived, where would they have lined up? This is a true dilemma for the air traffic controllers and also a major safety issue."

A 2 500-litre tank that is also filled up at the avgas refuelling facility.

At other airports, general aviation aircraft are allowed to be towed to the refuelling facility and towed back to the hangar, or the airport has a small avgas delivery truck that goes to the AMO (approved maintenance organisation) to refuel the general aviation aircraft there. For this the company charges a slightly higher cost per litre.

At George Airport, an aircraft has to be started up, taxied to the refuelling facility, switched off and restarted after refuelling, which means there is a lot more wear and tear.

'Safe operation'

Air BP says that the use of "kerbside" facilities is not unique to George Airport and is deemed safe. "All requirements to operate safely are met and BP considers it a more superior solution to having a bowser fuelling at hangars."

But, says Van Heerden, although it is not unique to George, nowhere at airports in South Africa is the space between the scheduled aircraft and general aviation as tight and limited as in George on the main apron.

"This means that the responsibility is now abdicated by BP to air traffic navigation services (ATNS) to have to try to control ground movements in a confined environment."

Air BP maintains that they adhere to all globally recognised safety standards at the refuelling facility.

"The safety of our operations at all of our sites is our priority, as well as the safety of our people and customers. The landing and parking of aircraft is primarily managed by Acsa. There are co-ordinated efforts between Acsa and NNCD [the agents operating on behalf of BP] to ensure no unsafe conditions arise due to traffic on the runway," says BP.

But according to Van Heerden, there are no co-ordinated efforts between NNCD and general aviation. "ATNS must always be called to get into contact with NNCD to remind them that they still have not turned up at the fuelling facility for an appointment. Flight plans must continuously be changed by general aviation as a result of these time delays recurring."

Van Heerden says small aircraft sometimes have to wait for up to one and a half hours to be refuelled because the NNCD forgot that they have a scheduled aircraft to refuel.

Flight Training Centre CEO Walter Waldeck says pleas for a tanker to deliver fuel to the general aviation area have been falling on deaf ears for many years. He has opted to acquire a 2 500-litre fuel storage tank that is kept at Flight Training Centre for refuelling the 10 aircraft that he uses for training.

The tank is transported by trailer to and from the avgas refuelling facility.

Air BP says a new service provider is taking over from them later in February. George Herald is awaiting confirmation and further comment from Acsa.

A Google Maps image of George Airport. At the bottom of the photo is the taxiway along which airliners reach the apron. The large, light grey area is the apron where airliners park and the blurred area to the right of the apron is the avgas refuelling area for small aircraft.