Board considers fuel polishing system, inspects fuel‑farm safety steps after fire marshal review

At the Lago Vista Airport Advisory Board meeting, a board member proposed installing a multi‑stage fuel polishing system to reduce particulate contamination to about two microns so fuel‑injected aircraft would not experience clogged injectors. The board also discussed a Travis County fire marshal review of the airport’s fuel tank and asked the Operations & Maintenance committee to separate immediate safety fixes from longer‑term capital work.

A board member explained that modern aircraft injectors have very small orifices—on the order of two microns—and that particulate matter can plug injectors and damage engines. The member proposed a polishing system that would measure particulate levels per tank load, then route fuel through multiple filters to reach a delivery standard suitable for fuel‑injected engines. The proponent said his team could provide hardware, design and set‑up; when asked for a cost estimate he replied the work “probably [is] in the $5,000 range” as a close estimate for the filtration system scale discussed.

Board members said cleaner, certified fuel could attract transient aircraft and increase fuel sales revenue, but they also noted that increasing throughput would create infrastructure needs (additional tanks, redundancy, transfer systems) that should be planned together with any filtration installation.

Separately, the board reviewed a fire marshal memo about the fuel farm. Participants summarized that some of the fire marshal’s items appeared to be straightforward maintenance or labeling matters (spill kit availability; clear signage and instructions; filter maintenance schedules); the city indicated staff would research the memo and prioritize urgent safety items for immediate action while planning other corrections as part of longer‑range TxDOT capital projects.

The Operations & Maintenance committee was asked to follow up with city staff and the POA on immediate safety items and to scope a proposed polishing pilot (sample testing, estimated equipment cost, and a recommended maintenance plan) so that a costed recommendation could be brought back to the board.

Board members also raised a separate safety maintenance concern about a single long transient tie‑down cable that currently lifts in high winds; members said the cable is worn and can lift aircraft and recommended replacing the cable with properly installed pad eyes or discrete tie‑down points. The board asked staff to add tie‑down repairs and clearer tie‑down markings to the maintenance agenda and noted that some grant funds might be available through TxDOT for such improvements.

No purchases or contracts were approved at the meeting; the board’s actions were limited to requesting follow‑up analysis and a costed recommendation.