This SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice contains general criteria for the planning, design, and construction of military and commercial ground based aviation fueling facilities that receive, store, distribute, and dispense liquid aviation turbine fuels at airports. Its purpose is to provide a description of practices that are commonly recognized throughout the industry as proving beneficial in the planning, design, and construction of aviation fuel systems at airports.

The purpose of any aviation fueling system is to safely deliver clean, dry, on specification fuel to an aircraft. As is true for any type of system, there are peculiarities inherent to handling aviation fuels that are not readily apparent to anyone who does not design, build, or use these systems regularly. Aviation fueling systems represent a barely measurable percentage of the overall construction industry; there are therefore very few companies or individuals who are aware of these peculiarities. With both the commercial airlines and the military going through a protracted cycle of downsizing and outsourcing, the portion of the industry that pays for and is ultimately responsible for these systems is losing many of its most experienced personnel. The purpose of this guide is to provide key individuals who are responsible for aviation fuel facilities an overview of general practices which have proven beneficial in planning, design, and construction.