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Show HILL TOP TIMZS Friday, mm My 27, 184 I I 1 x".S:-.:-- llpllllllilli tlliBIIHHIlBllBl i- - I - ,,,1iB8 illipBBMIilii a:::liliillfll liitiiiii Piiilpipii , - . , H.,.aX jljsJ: A1C Michael Mayers and SSgt. Kallen Kerr, crew chiefs, 6514th Test Squadron, set up refueling panel to receive fuel on a SDlTD What are some of the special activities Base ANG or sent by pipeline to the fillstand at the refueling parking lot where fuel trucks take it to the Fuels is presently supporting? Right now we have 13 fuel specialists and 10 fuel trucks at Mountain Home AFB supporting three 388th TFW 6 squadrons; likewise there are two fuel specialists at Nellis AFB supporting the flightline aircraft. What kind of problems does the weather present to base fuels support and does it affect workload fluctuation? Our summer workload is mostly supporting sortie launches with aviation fuel. During the winter we handle heating fuel and support flightline snowplows. We also have a heavy deicing workload to keep the aircraft free of ice. This past year we experimented with putting deicing fluid on the ramps and taxiways to melt the ice because it's a serious foreign object damage problem for 6 engines. That worked fairly well, but this year we'll experiment with another type commercial deicing fluid to see if we can improve the process and reduce the cost. Our workload fluctuates according to flying programs of the base organizations plus the number of their exercises. During fiscal 1983 we averaged 3,911 refueling operations per month with a one month high of 5,300. One reason Hill AFB has become the most active single runway operation in the Air Force has been the conversion to by the 388th and 419th TFWs. . What personnel factors have contributed most toward the teamwork needed for a successful base fuels operation? We have both civilian and military fuels operators and each has their own personnel systems. To eliminate contention and problems, personnel must understand both systems, and both systems must be managed correctly to produce the closeness good teamwork requires. We take advantage of all forms of recognition available and have had a high acceptance rate on the suggestion program. We also rotate duty assignments to broaden the operators' training. Basically, we just try to treat all people fairly military or civilian, men or women, journeyman or F-1- 388th's 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron. We're also supporting a TAC Red Flag exercise at Wendover. When that exercise is over, three fuel specialists will go there to tear down the air transportable hydrant system, or "bladder" fuels system for shipment back to the field. We also have a fuel specialist at Dugway Proving Grounds supporting the Ogden Air Logistics Center's flight test program. The Petroleum Branch also supports the Air National Guard during their alerts from our fuel satellite facility located just east of the runway. This facility is committed to the ANG in case they are mobilized from Salt Lake City. Like the rest of the Air Force, we're working hard to improve our readiness capability, learning how to refuel exercise aircraft in less time. Last year was our busiest year ever supporting major exercises; we had more than 20 involving deployment of people and aircraft to Hill AFB, mostly to use the range. Three of those exercises were conducted under major operational readiness inspection scenarios in which units were being evaluated by their command inspector general team. Trace the routing of jet fuel as it comes on base and is finally put into the aircraft. Jet fuel comes to the base by a common carrier pipeline beginning at Salt Lake City and extending to Pasco, Wash. Three commercial suppliers F-1- F-1- 24-ho- ur deliver fuel to Chevron, Amoco, and Phillips Chevron's pipeline which regularly services Hill and Mountain Home AFB and periodically Fairchild AFB in Washington. The pipeline also serves other . commercial customers. Fuel is stored in large tanks at our "tank farm" where it is quality checked to ensure it meets military specifications. We operate a complete base level fuels quality program including a fuels lab where everything we supply is tested. At the tank farm fuel can be transferred by pipeline into tanks for local customers such as the 6s newcomer. A What future changes or direction will base fuels see? We'll add a high density fuel to our inventory, JP-1to support the cruise missile.-- This synthetic jet fuel gives more heat or British Thermal Units per pound of fuel to extend the missile's range. C-1- 30. u When cruise missiles become operational, they'll be recycled here for depot maintenance. That requires a fuel facility which the Directorate of Maintenance is now preparing and which we'll support by ordering, receiving, and testing the fuel. We are gearing for the shale oil jet fuel program. Hill and Mountain Home AFBs were chosen as test bases for jet fuel derived from shale oil. Testing begins in January and will last about three years after which this fuel could permanently be our normal source. The shale oil will be mined from the Union Oil facility at Parachute Creek, Colo., be refined in Colorado, and then shipped by train to Salt Lake City where it will be added to the pipeline for supplying Hill and Mountain Home. Fuels accounting will also change. We'll switch from plastic credit cards to a bar codepencil reader system. The bar code will be permanently affixed to the aircraft and scanned by fuels personnel with a light pencil. Information will be recorded on a hand-hel- d recorder plugged into a computer console on the fuels truck. Quantities and accounting data will be transmitted directly into the computer there'll be no manual accounting documents. However, this procedure is a few years down the road. What is the most rewarding and fulfilling part about working in base fuels and being the Base Fuels Mangement Officer? I like being involved in the various organizations' missions. I'm basically a service-oriente- d person so it's very rewarding to see the aircraft taking off one after another during exercises without any fuel problems. Most base organizations have fuel requirements of some kind, so we're involved in nearly all base projects and programs in one way or another. It's fulfilling for me to see us contribute toward their overall successful mission accomplishment. U.S. Air Force Story and Photos by Jean Williamson 0, Public Affairs Office ; x i - if i I - .'v llllil . lim Lvkins, Base Fuels Management Officer, reviews plans for the new ad- - ditien to base fuels, Cldg. 914. - Larry Norton, fuels specialist, loads JP-- 4 let fuel Into a commercial tank truck for shipment to Wendovef Auxiliary Field In support off Red Fin ftcrciso. . |