Air BP completes initial OMEGA implementation at London Oxford Airport
In line with the OMEGA product, Air BP will now offer continual training along with technical advice and specific guidance tailored to the airport’s requirements. The airport has been using Air BP services since October 2012 and began to utilise the tailored support and training programme in November 2012 to enhance its fuel handling standards.
OMEGA, which stands for O perations M anual for E xternal G eneral A viation, has been designed by Air BP to ensure that customers like airport operators and refuelling contractors can achieve high levels of operating standards when handling fuel. The programme highlights operational best practice from the moment fuel arrives at the airport and advises on safe storage and quality testing through advanced check lists. In addition, it makes recommendations about how to move fuel around the airport and provides instruction for the safe filling of aircraft tanks. Equipment maintenance and troubleshooting problems also form an integral part of the programme structure. The system can also be updated and adapted as the airport site develops ensuring the information stays relevant as the customer grows. Through incorporating all operational, maintenance, Health Safety Security and Environment (HSSE) and emergency response procedures OMEGA enables customers to run their own operations in line with aviation industry practices.
Air BP is using its own in-house training team to deliver the bespoke training to London Oxford’s operational team. The initial training takes six to eight weeks and further modules are offered on an ongoing basis to ensure knowledge remains up to date.
“Safety is Air BP’s top priority when providing services to our customers which is why we developed OMEGA to support them across the full spectrum of the fuel handling process. It is an area where BP is aiming to lead the industry and we believe that by sharing our fuel handling expertise via this support package we can add value for our customers. We are pleased to be sharing Air BP’s fuel handling expertise through this newly designed product to London Oxford Airport, which is now one of the UK’s major general aviation hubs,” said Miguel Moreno, general vviation manager for Air BP.
James Dillon Godfray, business development director at London Oxford Airport, commented: “We are constantly sourcing ways of improving our client experience and with safety a priority for us OMEGA bolsters our knowledge and capabilities. Our operational team are already discovering new techniques and improved ways of fuelling which in the long run will make us an even safer airport.”
The running of the OMEGA programme at London Oxford Airport follows hard on the heels of the OMEGA implementation at London Biggin Hill which begun using the system in October 2012. It is anticipated that further UK airports will begin to introduce the system within the next six months as Air BP promotes the safety benefits utilising the system can have at an airport’s fuel facility.
Robert Walters, Miguel Moreno, James Dillon Godfray celebrating OMEGA implementation
