Jet fuel (ATF – Avitaion Turbine Fuel) is a colorless, combustible, straight-run petroleum distillate

liquid. Its principal uses are as jet engine fuel i.e. to power the main engines of civil and military
aircraft. It is also used to run auxiliary power units that generate aircraft electrical power.The most
common jet fuel worldwide is a kerosene-based fuel classified as JET A-1. The only other jet fuel
commonly used in civilian turbine-engine powered aviation is Jet B, which is used for its
enhanced cold-weather performance. The governing specifications in India are IS 1571: 2001 (7th
Rev). The three major OMCs supplying ATF to the Indian carriers are the Hindustan Petroleum
Corporation Ltd., Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.

Properties of Jet Fuel-

Properties
Appearance Straw-colored liquid
Density 775.0–840.0 g/L
Melting point −47 °C (−53 °F; 226 K)
Boiling point 176 °C (349 °F; 449 K) Types of Jet Fuels – Every aircraft engine is
designed to combust a particular fuel as
specified by the manufacturer. Therefore,
mixing or interchanging of fuels in not allowed. There are two basic types of fuel -

 Gasoline or AVGAS or Reciprocating engine fuel (Very rarely used now)

o This aviation fuel is usually only used in the older piston engines of sports aircraft and
small private aircraft that require leaded fuel with a high octane number.
 Turbine Engine Fuels or Kerosene Type
o Jet A-1: Jet fuel (Jet A-1 type aviation fuel, also called JP-1A) is used globally in the
turbine engines (jet engines, turboprops) in civil aviation. This is a carefully refined,
light petroleum. The fuel type is kerosene. Jet A-1 has a flash point higher than 38°C
and a freezing point of -47°C.
o Jet B: This aviation fuel is used for military jets. This special blend (grade Jet B, also
called JP-4) of about 65% gasoline and 35% kerosene is used in regions with
particularly low temperatures, because it is more flammable with a flash point of
20°C, and its freezing point can be as low as -72°C (as compared to -47°C for Jet A-
1). However, the engines must be suitable for the use of these aviation fuels.

ATF Supply Chain in India –

Supply chain of Jet fuel is divided into two transports:

1. Primary Transport – Shipment of bulk aviation turbine fuel from refineries to pre-airfield
supply terminals. This transport happens via pipeline, road, or rail. There are two
commercial models of delivery –
a. Through asset owned by Oil marketing companies (OMC) – every OMC, who wants
to be in the business of ATF delivery at airport maintain an asset, which is own and
operated by them for the operations.
b. Open Access – a common facility owned by airport and used by all OMCs. In this
scenario, a small player can be a part of business if it wants to sell and the aircrafts
are ready to refuel from it.

2. Secondary Transport – Shipment of aviation fuel from pre-airfield supply terminals to

airports.

In secondary transport, once the fuel reaches the airport hydrant refuelling system, there
are two ways the aircrafts can be refuelled –

1. Refueller – the vehicle carry the fuel in the storage tank and goes to the aircraft and
pump it with the help of engine power.
2. Mobile hydrant dispenser – Airport parking has several fixed fuel hydrants on the
surface in designated places. Mobile refuelling vehicles dispense fuel to the aircrafts
from the fixed hydrants. They usually have pumps, monitoring and filtering systems
to control the fuel being delivered to aircrafts.

Mobile Hydrant Dispenser Refueller

Pricing of ATF

Aviation fuel makes up about 40% to 50% of the operating cost of an airline, while fuel prices in India
are higher than elsewhere, by about 35%. ATF at presents have an excise duty of 11% and over this
central levy, state charge different rates of value added tax (VAT) that takes the final tax up to 30%.
Therefore, airlines have been lobbying hard to bring aviation turbine fuel within the GST, especially
when the airline industry as a whole is not doing financially well.
Airlines in India buy ATF from OMCs. ATF is produced through the refining of imported crude oil
(Brent Crude). The price of ATF is based on International Import Parity. The components of Price
includes Refinery Transfer Price, import duty, margin for the OMCs, excise duty and sales tax/VAT
levied by state govt.

There is a vast difference between the price of ATF supplied for domestic and international
operations. The ATF supplied to international flights is priced lower because the imported crude
used to produce ATF for international flights is exempted from customs duty.

ATF Market in India –

ATF Counsumption (MMT)

8.3

7.6
7

6.3
5.7
5.5 5.5
5.3
5.1
4.6
4.4

2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19

References –

https://www.skytanking.com/en/news-info/glossary/details/term/aviation-fuels-jet-fuel-aviation-
gasoline-avgas-jet-b-biokerosene.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_fuel

https://www.aircraftsystemstech.com/2017/06/types-of-aviation-fuel.html

https://www.wipro.com/engineeringNXT/solving-aviation-fuel-complexities-through-hyper-spectral-
imagin/

https://skybrary.aero/bookshelf/books/2477.pdf
https://iclg.com/practice-areas/aviation-laws-and-regulations/india