{"id":8140,"date":"2026-06-21T12:12:05","date_gmt":"2026-06-21T12:12:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arc-refuellers.be\/?p=8140"},"modified":"2026-06-21T12:12:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-21T12:12:05","slug":"electric-aircraft-refuellers-hydrant-dispensers-ei3618-safe-deployment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arc-refuellers.be\/es\/electric-aircraft-refuellers-hydrant-dispensers-ei3618-safe-deployment\/","title":{"rendered":"Electric Refuellers & Hydrant Dispensers: EI 3618 Safe Deployment"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Electric refuellers and hydrant dispensers are becoming part of airport electrification strategies. Across the aviation industry, airport authorities, ground handlers, fuel suppliers, and equipment manufacturers are moving from diesel-powered ground support equipment toward electric fleets, smarter charging infrastructure, and cleaner airside operations.<\/p>\n

Electric GSE can reduce local emissions, improve ramp air quality, reduce noise, and support airport sustainability targets. For many airports, this transition is already moving from strategy to implementation.<\/p>\n

Aircraft refuelling, however, requires a more specific approach.<\/p>\n

An aircraft refueller<\/a> or hydrant dispenser<\/a> is not just another airside vehicle. It is a mobile aviation fuel-handling system operating close to aircraft, passengers, hydrant pits, and fuel vapours, while integrating hoses, filters, meters, pressure-control equipment, deadman systems, interlocks, and emergency shutdown safety functions.<\/p>\n\n

This is why electric aircraft refuellers and electric hydrant dispensers cannot be treated as ordinary eGSE<\/a>. They operate at the intersection of airport electrification, heavy-duty vehicle technology, aviation fuel safety, charging infrastructure, emergency response, and lifecycle support.<\/p>\n

The deployment question is not whether an electric chassis can be supplied.<\/p>\n

The real deployment question is whether the complete refuelling platform \u2014 including the vehicle, fuel system, ePTO, charging concept, safety logic, maintenance model, and emergency response arrangements \u2014 can be justified for safe operation in the airport\u2019s actual aircraft fuelling process.<\/p>\n

Electric Refuellers and Hydrant Dispensers Need a Refuelling-Specific Layer<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Electric<\/p>\n

For airport authorities, the growth of eGSE introduces new infrastructure and operational control questions. Charger location, grid capacity, load management, traffic flow, maintenance access, emergency routes, and equipment availability all become part of the airside planning process.<\/p>\n

Smart charging, load balancing, renewable energy, battery energy storage, and future wireless charging concepts may support the wider eGSE transition. However, electric refuelling equipment adds a more safety-critical layer because charging readiness, battery reserve, and power availability must be aligned with live aircraft fuelling operations, rather than general vehicle utilization.<\/p>\n

For most eGSE, insufficient charge mainly causes availability problems: the equipment may miss a task, delay a turnaround, or need to be replaced by another unit. For an electric refueller or hydrant dispenser, the same type of energy, control, or high-voltage interface issue has broader operational implications because the vehicle is part of an active fuel-handling system connected to aircraft, hydrant infrastructure, fuel delivery equipment, and emergency shutdown functions.<\/p>\n

For aircraft refuelling, charging must therefore be treated as part of the operational safety case, not only as an energy-supply question. The charging concept should support the real fuelling duty cycle, defined battery reserve, electric power take-off demand, safe movement and recovery, maintenance access, charging-area controls, and emergency response arrangements.<\/p>\n

This is where airport electrification must move from general infrastructure planning to refuelling-specific operational readiness.<\/p>\n

Why EI 3618 Changes the Conversation<\/strong><\/h2>\n

EI 3618<\/a> provides the aviation fuel industry with a key reference point for battery-electric vehicles used in aviation fuel handling at commercial airports.<\/p>\n

Its practical message is clear: a generic electric vehicle assessment is not enough.<\/p>\n

A battery-electric refueller or hydrant dispenser must be assessed against the actual vehicle platform, refuelling equipment, charging arrangement, airport layout, operating procedures, maintenance capability, emergency response model, and stakeholder responsibilities.<\/p>\n

The EI 3618 hazard identification process identified 58 hazards. Of these, 46 were considered either unique to battery-electric vehicles or increased in risk profile compared with internal combustion engine vehicles. Three Significant Accident Hazards were highlighted.<\/p>\n

H-1: Battery fire<\/strong>
\nBattery fire and thermal runaway scenarios require early warning, shutdown philosophy, isolation arrangements, emergency response planning, and post-incident handling.<\/p>\n

H-2: High-voltage systems in conjunction with fuel spill or vapour collection<\/strong>
\nThis is one of the most aviation-specific concerns. The issue is not only the presence of high-voltage systems. The issue is how high-voltage components, cable routes, charging interfaces, battery spaces, switching systems, and active electrical equipment may interact with fuel spills, vapour accumulation, or hazardous-area assumptions.<\/p>\n

H-3: High-voltage shock or electrocution<\/strong>
\nHigh-voltage exposure requires clear controls for authorized access, isolation, emergency electric shut-off, lockout, warning recognition, inspection after damage, recovery, and return-to-service decisions. Operators, maintenance teams, and emergency responders must understand when the vehicle is safe to approach, isolate, recover, or return to service.<\/p>\n

These hazards do not mean electric refuelling equipment should be avoided. They mean controlled operational deployment must be engineered, documented, and verified with the same discipline expected from any safety-critical aviation fuel system.<\/p>\n

The Heavy-Duty Vehicle Manufacturer\u2019s Role<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For heavy-duty electric vehicle manufacturers, aircraft refuelling creates a demanding integration case.<\/p>\n

A battery-electric chassis may be suitable for road use, but aviation refuelling requires more than vehicle compliance. The chassis must provide predictable power behaviour, reliable interface data, safe isolation logic, battery-state visibility, fault communication and practical integration support for the refuelling equipment builder.<\/p>\n

The questions become highly operational.<\/p>\n

Can the chassis support the required refuelling duty cycle? Can it provide stable power for the electric power take-off or fuel-system interface? How are battery warnings communicated to the refuelling control system? What happens if the vehicle detects a high-voltage fault during fuelling? Which signals are available for immobilization, charging status, brake status, drive status, state of charge, and safe-state confirmation? How is a restart controlled after an abnormal event?<\/p>\n

For refuelling equipment builders, these signals are not optional. They are part of the safety chain.<\/p>\n

The future of electric aircraft refuelling depends on cooperation between the vehicle manufacturer, refuelling equipment builder, airport authority, fuel operator, charging provider, maintenance organization, and emergency responders.<\/p>\n

Refuellers and Hydrant Dispensers Are Different System-Specific Deployment Cases<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Electric aircraft refuellers and electric hydrant dispensers are often discussed together, but they should not be assessed as identical platforms.<\/p>\n

An aircraft refueller carries bulk aviation fuel onboard. Its system-specific deployment review should consider tank capacity, fuel load, pumping duty, filtration, metering, pressure control, hose layout, loading arrangements, defuelling capability, axle load, weight distribution, vehicle recovery, and safe movement with fuel onboard.<\/p>\n

A hydrant dispenser does not carry the same onboard fuel volume. It connects the airport hydrant system to the aircraft and transfers fuel from the hydrant network through the dispenser to the aircraft. Its system-specific deployment review should consider hydrant pressure, inlet hose arrangement, deck hoses, standoff refuelling, filtration, metering, pressure control, platform access, hydrant pit connection, stand layout, and compatibility with the airport hydrant operation.<\/p>\n

Both equipment types can support lower-emission airport fuel operations. However, their duty cycle, energy demand, fuel-system interface, risk profile, and acceptance evidence are different. This is why electric refuellers and hydrant dispensers should each be justified against the specific airport operation in which they will be deployed.<\/p>\n

From Charging Strategy to Safety Justification<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A strong airport electrification strategy asks how power will be supplied, where chargers will be located, how loads will be managed, and how disruption to airside operations will be avoided.<\/p>\n

For electric aircraft refuelling equipment, the questions become more specific. Charging readiness is not only an infrastructure topic; it becomes part of the system-specific safety justification for deployment.<\/p>\n

Can the vehicle complete peak fuelling demand while maintaining a defined battery reserve for safe movement, ePTO operation, and recovery? Is there a clear minimum state of charge before dispatch to the aircraft? Can the vehicle be charged without creating traffic, cable-routing, access, or emergency-response constraints? Does the charging location consider separation from fuel operations, maintenance areas, aircraft stands, and emergency routes? What is the fallback plan if a charger fails during a high-demand operating window? How will operators confirm that the vehicle is fit for fuelling before it is released to service?<\/p>\n

These questions should be answered before deployment, not after the first operational issue.<\/p>\n

What Should Be Verified Before Operational Use?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Before an electric refueller or hydrant dispenser enters service, stakeholders should have a clear system-specific evidence file.<\/p>\n

This should cover the selected vehicle platform, refuelling system configuration, duty-cycle assessment, charging concept, high-voltage and fuel-system interface, deadman and interlock functions, emergency shutdown logic, safe-state definition, maintenance controls, emergency response arrangements, factory testing, site acceptance testing, and open-action closure.<\/p>\n

The most important principle is safe-state clarity.<\/p>\n

If a critical fault occurs, the system should not rely solely on operator interpretation. The vehicle and fuel system should move to a defined safe condition: fuel delivery stopped, unsafe fuelling inhibited, electric power demand removed where required, and restart prevented until safe conditions are restored and verified.<\/p>\n

This protects the airport, fuel supplier, into-plane operator, vehicle manufacturer, equipment builder, maintenance team, and emergency responders.<\/p>\n

ARC NV\u2019s Practical Position: EI 3618-Aligned Safe Operational Deployment Support<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

ARC NV\u2019s role in this transition is practical: to support airports, fuel suppliers, and into-plane operators in moving from initial interest in electric vehicles to controlled operational deployment.<\/p>\n

ARC designs and constructs aircraft refuellers<\/a> and hydrant dispensers<\/a> around real operating requirements: aircraft mix, flow rate, tank capacity, filtration, metering, pressure control, hose arrangement, operator access, safety systems, and maintainability.<\/p>\n

The electric transition builds on the same engineering foundation, but adds new requirements around electric power take-off integration, high-voltage interface control, battery-state management, charging readiness, diagnostics, safe-state logic, and lifecycle support.<\/p>\n

This is where EI 3618 becomes directly relevant. Electric aircraft refuellers and hydrant dispensers should not be introduced only on the basis of vehicle capability or emissions reduction. They should be reviewed through a system-specific safety justification that considers the complete refuelling platform, the charging concept, the airport operating environment, maintenance readiness, and emergency response arrangements.<\/p>\n

For ARC, this can be translated into four practical pillars.<\/p>\n

Integrate<\/strong>
\nThe electric chassis, ePTO, charging arrangement, and fuelling system interfaces must be treated as one operational platform. The vehicle systems and fuel systems cannot be managed as separate packages once the equipment enters aircraft fuelling service.<\/p>\n

Safeguard<\/strong>
\nThe equipment must follow a clear fail-safe control philosophy, supported by an EI 3618-aligned safety review. This includes automatic safe-state response, emergency shutdown logic, immobilization, interlocks, alarms, restart conditions, and abnormal-condition response.<\/p>\n

Maintain<\/strong>
\nElectric refuelling equipment must remain serviceable throughout its operating life. This requires maintenance and repairs<\/a>, workshop support, diagnostics, maintenance planning, operator interface review, spare parts understanding, high-voltage awareness, and lifecycle planning for mixed fleets.<\/p>\n

Verify<\/strong>
\nThe deployment process must be supported by system-specific safety justification, stakeholder alignment, evidence review, and acceptance support. Safety-critical functions should be verified before operational introduction through factory testing, site acceptance, functional checks, and open-action closure.<\/p>\n

This four-pillar approach helps move the discussion from \u201celectric vehicle supply\u201d to \u201csafe electric refuelling operational deployment.\u201d<\/p>\n

It also reflects ARC\u2019s wider vehicle lifecycle management<\/a> position. Electric deployment does not end at delivery. The equipment must remain inspectable, serviceable, repairable, and supported throughout its working life. Maintenance planning, spare parts, technical documentation, vehicle inspection<\/a>, vehicle refurbishment<\/a> decisions, and future re-chassis opportunities all influence long-term value.<\/p>\n

The objective is not to present electric refuelling as a simple replacement of diesel equipment. The objective is to help operators introduce new vehicle technology without compromising fuel safety, maintainability, operational reliability, or airport acceptance.<\/p>\n

Conclusion: Electrification Must Be Engineered Into the Fuel Operation<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Electric aircraft refuellers and hydrant dispensers can play an important role in cleaner airport fuel operations. But they must not be treated as ordinary eGSE.<\/p>\n

They require airport-level charging planning, heavy-duty vehicle integration, aviation fuel safety review, system-specific hazard analysis, verified safeguards, competent maintenance planning and practical emergency response arrangements.<\/p>\n

For airport authorities, this means planning electric refuelling equipment as part of the airport\u2019s operational infrastructure, not only as part of the vehicle fleet.<\/p>\n

For heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers, it means supporting the refuelling application with the right interfaces, data, power architecture, and safety logic.<\/p>\n

For fuel operators and into-plane providers, it means ensuring that the entire platform can be justified for the actual fuelling operation.<\/p>\n

ARC NV supports customers in defining that pathway through an EI 3618-aligned approach: integrate the electric platform and fuelling system, safeguard the safety-critical interfaces, maintain the equipment through its lifecycle, and verify readiness before operational acceptance.<\/p>\n

If your organization is evaluating electric aircraft refuellers, electric hydrant dispensers, or future-ready refuelling equipment, contact ARC NV<\/a> to discuss the safest and most practical route to controlled airport deployment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Contact ARC NV<\/strong>
\nEmail: question@arc-refuellers.be<\/a>
\nTelephone: +32 3 844 55 68<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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