Press Release

Issued by National Air Transportation Association.

October 5, 2020

Last week, the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) issued a request to its membership, asking them to comment on a proposed change to NFPA 407 Standard for Aircraft Fuel Servicing,  the national fire code adopted by  most  airports in the United States.

On behalf of its membership and the industry,  NATA submitted a Tentative Interim Amendment (TIA), TIA 1539, that would provide  relief to hundreds of general aviation airports and  FBOs from  the requirement that they retrofit  their  fuel farms and mobile refuellers with  automatic  shutdown systems  (AKA  “scully type”  systems).  NATA's proposed TIA  removes  the retroactive nature of the current language in the NFPA 407, a pplying it  to only new fuel farm/fuel truck installations.

“Without the change  proposed  in the NATA TIA, airports  and FBOs  would be faced  with  a $6,000-$10,000  bill  per fuel farm loading rack, and $2,500-$3,500  bil  per  fuel truck,  with  all  equipment needing  to  be  retrofitted by June of 2021,” stated NATA managing director, safety and training, Michael France. “Your help is needed to pass this TIA.  Passage of the TIA requires  three-quarters  vote from the technical committee overseeing NFPA 407.  We encourage all stakeholders to contact the National Fire Protection Association and the 407 Technical Committee letting them know you support proposed TIA 1539.”

Comments may be submitted to tias_errata_fis@nfpa.org ahead of the November 9, 2020 deadline.