How much fuel is used for one flight and how is the plane refueled?

🪟 For a long-haul flight, say from Moscow to Vladivostok, a liner may require up to 100,000 liters of aviation kerosene — depending on the model, route, and weather conditions. That's about 2,000 full tanks of passenger cars at 50 liters each.

Refueling begins immediately after passengers disembark (if the aircraft is preparing for the next departure) and takes from 15 to 45 minutes. Civil aviation uses TS-1 kerosene — it has good volatility and is resistant to low temperatures. It may seem surprising, but more often the tanks are located not in the fuselage or tail section, but in the wing.

✈️ Most airports operate fuel trucks, but there is another solution. For example, Sheremetyevo has a hydrant system. Fuel is delivered through underground pipes directly to the aircraft. Instead of a fuel truck — a compact yellow dispenser. It is connected to a receiver under the wing and to one of 188 columns, hidden under technical hatches.

Before delivery, the fuel undergoes multi-stage filtration, and the operator monitors the readings and presses the switch every 30 seconds, which allows the automation to understand that a person is controlling the process.

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