Air bp has completed the roll out of its Airfield Automation digital technology across São Paulo state, Brazil. As well as availability at São Paulo/Guarulhos International, it is now in operation at Gov A F Montoro/Guarulhos, Campo de Marte, Ribeirão Preto and Campinas (Viracopos) International airports as well as at HBR Aviacao and Helicidade heliports.

Air bp estimates that around 150 of its airport and operator customers will benefit from the new technology that aims to enhance safety, reliability and compliance in airport fuelling operations. This includes many general aviation customers for whom the risk of misfuelling is considered greatest.

Brazil is known as South America's most influential aviation market, with one of the biggest business aviation fleets in the world, a large proportion of which are based in São Paulo. The city is also home to Brazil's largest fleet of helicopters. Air bp is the supplier at Helicidade São Paulo, one of the largest specialised helicopter service centres in the country, and HBR São Paulo.

Air bp customer Marco Antônio Beolchi Adami, captain at Rio Bonito Comunicação, Helicidade São Paulo, says: “Since we started using the Airfield Automation platform in August, the fuelling process has become much more streamlined. It is faster and more efficient. Refuelling and turnaround times can be tight when there are two flights close to each other, and the pilot has a short time to land, refuel, do the post-flight and pre-flight checks and then has to take off immediately. With this technology we now have an extra layer of safety to help prevent misfuelling. It's a very welcome addition to the location. I am very happy to see that.”

Air bp general manager, South America Ricardo Paganini adds: “We look forward to extending the roll out across Brazil in the coming months. With this new technology, we are playing our part in helping to ensure that the fuelling process is fast, efficient and safe. Misfuelling is one of the biggest risks we face in our industry; our global solution is good news for Brazil and good news for our industry.”

The cloud-based platform is designed to prevent misfuelling by enhancing safety, reliability and compliance in airport fuelling operations, while providing data in real time to airline customers. It is the first commercially deployed system in the world to provide an engineering barrier to actively help prevent misfuelling.

The platform consolidates the data related to airport fuelling operations and works via an app on a handheld device in the fuelling vehicles. The 'safe2go' app captures fuel volume readings and provides fuel grade checks to add an additional misfuelling barrier. It then electronically captures customer details which are confirmed with an electronic signature from the pilot or airline representative. By using this automated, end-to-end, paperless system, accuracy is enhanced and any potential miskeying errors minimised.

In addition to the enhanced safety barriers, aircraft operators will also benefit from faster, more comprehensive and more accurate fuelling and delivery data. The cloud-based technology will enable Air bp to offer increasingly integrated information to customers, such as delivery records and precise delivery timings.