Jet A Vs Jet B

[dnamco]

Jet B is more flammable, and burns dirtier, more dangerous to handle/transport. It's got an anti icing additive that lowers the freezing point. Jet A jells at -47 or something so unless you plan on being out in weather colder than that you won't need it!

Jet B is lighter,burns cleaner and is easier to light in cold weather,however because it is easier to burn,in a crash it is still easier to light.

[sirlandsalot]

So why is it A-stars like jet A more?

 

What are the benefits?

[skullcap]

So why is it A-stars like jet A more?

 

What are the benefits?

 

I think the fcu's work better with it due to it having more lubricity, ie is not as dry as Jet B. Fred Whiskar always used Jet A on ferry flights due to extra miles per gallon.

[justfly]

...no response with the tan colornut, so the guys from the refinery came out and had a look. The result was, we found out we needed the brown colornut.There was a US airforce occurrence at about the same time with incorrect paste used..

according to the Kolor Kut Products description http://www.oilybits....UT_PRODUCTS.pdf ;

 

Kolor Kut Water Finding Paste is golden brown in color and turns brilliant red upon contact with water. This product will successfully gauge water content in all petroleum and hydrocarbons as well as...

 

Kolor Kut Modified Water Finding Paste has been designed for use in Methanol, Ethanol enriched fuel systems. ...changes from dark brown in color to bright red on contact with water. Phase separated alcohol solutions with as little as 6% water will turn the paste yellow.

[Jet B]

From what I have read the reason you don't see Jet B so much these days is because the US military decided to go away from JP-4(Jet-B ) in the 90's due to it's more volatile nature in a crash. Even though it's supposedly better for aircraft with afterburners. (Jet B is kerosene cut with gasoline and naptha). Jp-5 (Jet A) is much less explosive because of the lack of gasoline and naptha but that also makes it not quite as good as a cold weather fuel.

 

If the US military isn't buying it, then naturally you won't see as much being produced from the refineries and the price will be higher. I remember always using Jet B on jobs in the 90's, now you hardly see the stuff.

 

Just my opinion.

[VERTICAL REF]

Jet A or B DOES NOT have anti-icing additive in it UNLESS it is specified on the waybill or labelled on the drum as such.

ESSO Imperial Oil drums state FSII - fuel system icing inhibitor, which means anti-ice.

Not a big deal for a 212 or any intermediate with an A/F fuel filter but a BIG DEAL for any single engine Bell medium below 4 deg C.

 

Check your RFM in detail for proper fuel specifications and operating temperatures.

 

The first thing the TSB does at the scene of a crash is take a fuel sample.

[VERTICAL REF]

Follow up...

 

If your looking for Jet B give Randy or Karl a call at Save On Jetfuels. They can provide an endless supply of "B" for you.

 

And no I dont get kick backs!

[lamanated]

If memory serves me, its the AntiIcing additive that encompasses the water that prevents the tan from being used.

[canukav8tor]

From what I have read the reason you don't see Jet B so much these days is because the US military decided to go away from JP-4(Jet-B ) in the 90's due to it's more volatile nature in a crash. Even though it's supposedly better for aircraft with afterburners. (Jet B is kerosene cut with gasoline and naptha). Jp-5 (Jet A) is much less explosive because of the lack of gasoline and naptha but that also makes it not quite as good as a cold weather fuel.

 

If the US military isn't buying it, then naturally you won't see as much being produced from the refineries and the price will be higher. I remember always using Jet B on jobs in the 90's, now you hardly see the stuff.

 

Just my opinion.

 

The move from JP-4 (Jet B-ish, with FSII/CILI, aka NATO F-40) to JP-8 (similar but not exactly like Jet A-1, aka NATO F-34) was partially due to safety concerns as you noted, Jet B, but also because the US DoD was trying to reduce logistical cost with a single-fuel solution (less a few exceptions) to fuel both compression-ignition vehicles and turbine-powered vehicles and aircraft. The Canadian Forces followed suit, and both the DoD and CF further modified the fuel used by most military aircraft to a slightly reformulated JP-8, known as JP-8 +100 (NATO F-37), which burns slightly hotter than straight JP-8, in order to reduce coking of the turbine blades.

 

The exceptions I know of are the Sea Kings using JP-5 (F-44) and sometimes JP-4 (F-40) up north in Alert and other locations.

 

As you mentioned, it was not uncommon to see lots of Jet-B around Canada up to around the mid-90's, and that was our default with Chinooks, Twin Hueys and Kiowas when we were away from a CF base. I last fuelled up with Jet B in a Griffon in 2006 in Kamloops...can't recall which supplier/FBO it was. I want to say Shell, but can't recall exactly. I remember talking with the fueler driver about not seeing Jet B too often, and recall he said something about that being true, that they didn't normally have any, but got some from Surrey, I think?

 

The PT-6's sure liked to start-up better on Jet B/F-40 than A when it was brass monkey weather.

 

Regards

AV8