A1C Franklin: MacDill's one-man fuels lab

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ned T. Johnston
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
When it comes to ensuring the purity of the more than 7 million gallons of jet petroleum 8 fuel used on MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, annually, only one name fits the bill - Airman 1st Class Corey Franklin, 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels laboratory technician.

"Fuels lab is a branch off of our usual job, fuel distribution," said Franklin. "Right now, I'm the only one in our shop who works in the lab."

Being solely responsible for this is no small feat. Franklin must check all incoming fuel, all of MacDill's 14 fuel delivery trucks, as well as the fuel being stored in MacDill's two 1 million gallon holding tanks.

"I check the fuel through a variety of tests," said Franklin. "I test for high solid levels, excessive water, proper color, fuel system icing, and corrosion. Today, I'm checking for high solid levels in two of our refueling trucks."

Franklin armed with two one gallon gas cans headed out to fuel delivery truck 54 and 19, where he collected two samples.

"The test itself is pretty simple," explained Franklin. "I weigh two filter pads on a scale. Then, I pour my fuel sample through the filter pads and weigh them at the end. This test shows me exactly how much particulate is in our fuel by weighing the difference from beginning to end."

If the fuel is within the acceptable range, Franklin OKs the truck for delivery. If not, Franklin conducts the test again to get a more accurate report. If a truck fails twice, that specific truck won't deliver fuel to an aircraft.

"It truly is an honor that such a large amount of responsibility is set on my shoulders on a daily basis," exclaimed Franklin. "It's an incredible feeling knowing I perform a task that assures mission success day in and day out."