Remote locations, ease of use and quick installation times made the job of aero-refuelling stations a great opportunity for Kerfoot with our can-do attitude and ingenuity.
The Project:
In the large tracts of inland Australia, many operations such as emergency services, mustering, infrastructure inspection or private transport rely on aeroplanes or helicopters to cover the vast distances. This means they also need places to refuel, en-route, easily and safely.
Kerfoot was engaged in a project to modernise aero-refuelling stations across regional New South Wales. The existing infrastructure was outdated and impractical for end-users, which meant a complete redesign of the system to modernise it and to meet current hazardous area regulations.
Working with the client, Kerfoot took a user-centric approach to the redesign to make sure the final design made it easy for pilots to refuel in remote areas. The second key component was as much off-site prefabrication as possible. This meant a short on-site installation and fit-out and commissioning timeframe, reducing how long the refuelling station was offline for pilots.
The final design was manufactured off-site and loaded onto skids for transport to Kerfoot’s Head Office, where the wiring of the fuel bowser systems was completed. Kerfoot’s technicians focussed on making the wiring layout simple and easy to use. The completed units were then transported to Bathurst Regional Airport for final installation and connection.
The site presented some challenges, requiring the can-do attitude and ingenuity Kerfoot is renowned for. Quick on-site solutions were found, and the customer was delivered a certified refuelling system comprising two bowsers (AvGas and Jet Fuel) and remote-control operations including a card payment function where the data system was housed in a hazardous-area approved unit.
All work was documented, right down to the last nut and bolt, for sign-off and compliance with required regulations and standards. The refueling station is now allowing pilots to refuel, pay with a credit card or prepaid account, and get back in the air in no time.
