Jet Fuel A1
Jet A-1 is the standard kerosene-type fuel of international civil aviation. No other petroleum product is traded under tighter quality control.
A fuel defined by its paperwork
Jet fuel has to stay liquid at cruising altitude, burn cleanly and carry no water or dirt. The specification is the same wherever an aircraft refuels, which is why Jet A-1 from different refineries can share an airport's tanks.
Quality is proven by documents as much as by testing. A refinery certificate of quality starts the trail, and each storage or shipment step adds a fresh test certificate. Fuel whose trail is broken cannot be delivered to an aircraft.
- Product type
- Aviation turbine fuel, kerosene type
- Governing standards
- ASTM D1655 and Defence Standard 91-091
- Sold by
- The metric ton or the barrel
- Typical buyers
- Airlines, airport fuel suppliers and distributors
- Carried in
- Clean product tankers with segregated tanks
What the specification requires
| Property | Reference | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Freezing point | −47 °C maximum (Jet A-1); −40 °C maximum (Jet A) | Fuel must not solidify in wing tanks on long, cold flights. |
| Flash point | 38 °C minimum | A safety limit for handling and fueling. |
| Density at 15 °C | 775 to 840 kg/m³ | Sets the energy carried per liter and converts volume to weight. |
| Total sulfur | 0.30% by mass maximum | Limits corrosion and emissions. |
| Aromatics | 25% by volume maximum | High aromatics produce smoke and soot in the engine. |
| Smoke point | 25 mm minimum, or 18 mm with naphthalenes limited | A direct measure of how cleanly the fuel burns. |
Limits are those published in the named standards, given for reference. The specification written into the sales contract governs.
Grades and governing documents
Jet A-1
The international civil grade, with a freezing point of −47 °C or lower.
Jet A
The grade used mainly within the United States. Its freezing point limit is −40 °C.
Joint checklist
Many jointly operated airport systems require fuel to meet the Joint Inspection Group checklist, which combines the strictest limits of the two main specifications.
Storage and shipping
- Segregation. Jet fuel moves in dedicated or carefully cleaned tanks and lines, apart from other products.
- Biodiesel traces. Fatty acid methyl ester from biodiesel is limited to 50 mg/kg in jet fuel, so a vessel's previous cargoes are checked.
- Recertification. The fuel is tested again after each transfer and the results compared with the previous certificate.
- Inspection. An independent inspector normally samples and certifies the parcel at the loading port.
Storage and transport are provided by third-party terminal operators and carriers. We coordinate them. How storage and shipping are arranged
What to send with your enquiry
- Grade (Jet A-1 or Jet A) and the governing specification
- Any additive requirement, such as static dissipater
- Quantity in tonnes and how often you need it
- Destination terminal or airport supply point, and preferred Incoterm
- Delivery window
Send these details and we will tell you whether we can source the product and on what terms. Price, quantity and specification are fixed in the sales contract.