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JBSA News
NEWS | May 28, 2010

Personal digital assistant tracks fuel usage, rates, dispensing

By Sean Bowlin 502nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs OL-B

Fuels technicians on Randolph Air Force Base will soon be issued hand-held personal digital assistants operating on wireless, Blue tooth technology to authorize, dispense and track the cost and other expense associated with the use of aviation fuels on Randolph Air Force Base.

"Unlike what we've been using, these PDAs are easy to hold in your hand, are less bulky than the old model, and are smaller," said Johnney Wright, a contactor and field services engineer with the 902nd Logistics Readiness Group. "They also send information on fuel consumed back to the dispatchers in real time."

The PDAs are synchronized to printers in fuel trucks and can send customer information to them, Mr. Wright added.

Dennis Stewart, chief of fuels quality assurance for the 902nd LRS, said the PDA's strong suit lies in its ability to record fuel transactions.

"It contains memory for customer and building information, and in terms of efficiency, it brings the capability to accomplish direct billing transactions in real time," Mr. Stewart added.

Mr. Stewart also said the initiative to use the PDAs came after Defense Department workers saw similar devices used by jet fuel specialists servicing airliners in civilian airports.

"Commercial aviation has been using this technology for years and once aware of the PDAs, then DoD started purchasing them. Now, using them is a DoD-wide initiative," Mr. Stewart explained.

Mr. Stewart, who acknowledged the PDA was a fine fuel point of sale device, added the PDA is capable of transmitting fuel sale information directly to the Defense Finance Accounting Service, because they have the same software used by that agency.

"The sale information is downloaded directly to DFAS, who can spit a bill out fast," he concluded. "Plus, the new PDAs transmit information very quickly. The whole thing is basic all-new automated, computerized technology. It's very fast, highly efficient, and has been used in civil aviation for years--and now we have it."