Fuel tests keep Misawa moving

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Gena Armstrong
  • Detachment 12, Air Force News Agency
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNEWS) --  The fuel military bases receive goes through a series of treatments before it is usable in machinery.

It is the job of the Fuels Laboratory Airmen in logistics readiness squadrons to check the condition of all fuel before it's put to use. Most importantly, certain additives need to be present to prevent maintenance issues in aircraft.

One such additive is the fuel system icing inhibitor. This particular additive saves man hours and money with the damage it prevents in jets, said Staff Sgt. Mike Perrino, NCO in charge of Misawa Air Base's Fuels Lab.

"Small amounts of water are always going to be present in JP-8 (jet fuel). The FSII sticks to that so it doesn't freeze in high altitudes and when the temperature drops really low," Sergeant Perrino said.

Sergeant Perrino also tests for solids that can get caught in engines and ensures the temperature of the fuel is at a safe level. Sergeant Perrino may also run tests to determine the weight of a particular load of fuel.

"The aircraft fuel weight is important when you're dealing with how much cargo you can hold or the distance that you're traveling. You need to make sure that you know how much weight you have on the plane," Sergeant Perrino said.

From generators to vehicles and airplanes, fuel plays a crucial role in the Air Force mission. It's with this in mind fuel lab techs like Sergeant Perrino take pride in their job.

"We know how important fuel is, so we take extreme care of it," he said.

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