Improving Aircraft Refueling Procedures at Naval Air Station Oceana

Abstract

This thesis seeks to improve aircraft refueling at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, VA, using aircraft waiting time for fuel as a measure of performance. We develop a computer-assisted discrete-event simulation to model refueling at NAS Oceana using airfield data from October 2011. Our study focuses on six factors: the total number of mobile refueling trucks, the rate of fuel flow from each truck, the quality of information sharing, the percentage of aircraft that refuel using hot pits (high-speed, in-ground refueling stations), and the normal operating band (both the upper limit and the lower limit) of jet fuel level that each truck driver maintains. We use experimental design and determine the efficiency of various decisions for reducing fuel wait time. We conclude with specific recommendations for NAS Oceana leadership.