NAVSUP FLC’s Fuels Division continually pursues improvement
As a component of NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Jacksonville, NAS Corpus Christi, the Fuels Division provides vital support in service to the Naval Air Training Command and other tenant commands aboard NASCC.
In providing their services, the Fuels Division echoes the air station’s mission to continually pursue improvement in their processes, equipment and facilities. Since October 2017, when LB&B Associates was awarded and assumed responsibility for the Along-Side Aircraft Refueling contract aboard NASCC, LB&B has provided a completely new refueling fleet and implemented several in-house processes designed to promote efficiency within the operation, while being transparent to customers.
The most significant in-house improvement has been the reduction in response times for refueling aircraft. An average reduction of six minutes has been achieved by relocating their operation’s dispatch center from Building 1717 to Building 28. Other in-house improvements have enhanced accountability for fuel products, while enabling snapshots of information relevant to reports and data gathering.
Improvements more visible to our customers have come with the addition of a new refueling fleet. LB&B’s new fleet is equipped with the latest environmental systems that prevent overfilling, safety features such as automatic anti-drive-away systems designed to prevent the truck movement while fueling, and air operated emergency tank shutoff valves designed to reduce the spill potential.
More noticeable to the general public may be the repairs to the above-ground jet fuel storage tank located on First Street adjacent to Fire House #2. Over the last few months, personnel aboard the installation may have seen large sections of the tank’s outer shell being replaced. The replaced sections, measuring 8 by 14 feet, are constructed of one-quarter inch steel. In addition to the shell repairs, other deteriorated areas were patched or replaced to include the complete replacement of the tank floor. The tank has been outfitted with environmental and safety controls, level warning systems, and state-of-the-art product measuring systems, each designed to work together in providing safe-efficient daily functions.
In the weeks to come, the tank will be encapsulated to allow for final preparation and application of a urethane based sealer designed to combat the harsh South Texas environment. When completed, this will end a five-year project culminating in double the fuel storage capacity while providing reliable fuel storage for the next 25-to-30 years or longer. The Fuels Division continually works to modernize and preserve these valuable assets promoting mission success for today and years to come.