Signature Aviation drives sustainability initiatives by integrating 5,000 gallon electric vehicle at its Eagle County Regional Airport in Vail

Rampmaster, the premier manufacturer of aircraft refueling solutions serving commercial cargo and general aviation markets, delivered the first zero emission all electric jet refueler truck in the United States to Signature Aviation’s Vail location at Eagle County Regional Airport in Colorado. The E-lectric Refueler replaces the diesel engine with an electric motor and hydraulic pump powered by Lithium batteries to improve operations and decrease airport EPA emissions. The 5,000 gallon E-lectric Vehicle Refueler, unveiled in 2023, supports the aviation industry’s commitment to operational net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. 

Signature Aviation, the world’s largest network of private aviation terminals, has been using Rampmaster’s diesel refuelers for many years. The companies collaborated to seamlessly integrate a more sustainable solution at Signature’s Eagle County Regional Airport location in Vail utilizing the Rampmaster fully electric 5,000 gallon unit. Colorado was chosen because the state is a national leader in climate responsibility by reducing greenhouse gas air pollution, access to electric vehicles, and building energy efficiency.

“The partnership with Signature Aviation was strategic in developing our Electric Vehicle (EV) Refueler. It has the only EV chassis, to date worldwide, that meets all aviation industry mandates while also establishing safety standards on airport,” said Leighton Yohannan, Rampmaster Chief Executive Officer. 

“Rampmaster operates on the premise of always leaving the industry better than you found it by delivering high quality, innovative technology, safety and environmentally friendly product solutions with an emphasis on the customer experience.”

Innovative E-lectric Refueler Design Features

All Rampmaster’s refueler trucks are manufactured with a patented modular design. The power, pump, and tank easily swap out for maintenance, repair, or upgrades. Fully electric vehicle customers benefit from: 

• Lithium technology, encased battery with four feet separation from the electric system to fueling pump and tank for safety
• Battle Motors / Borgwarner Cascadia motion motor and EV chassis meet airport axel weight and aviation requirements
• Full battery DC fast charge in less than two hours that will power about eight hours of total pump refueling run time
• Elongated refueler lifespan of 20 years, with 1% degradation in a year, compared to 10 years of typical truck designs
• Less maintenance than diesel engine and significant fuel savings
• Decreased airport EPA emissions   

Its ultra innovative design includes a roof-mounted battery chiller and blanket heater to sustain extreme hot and cold temperatures. It continuously monitors temperature and load for optimal battery utilization, while maintaining the battery temperature at 76° F.

Rampmaster’s patented Engine Management System™ (EMS) is standard on all vehicles. On diesel technology trucks, the system of sensors varies engine RPMs and monitors PSI to control fuel flow while reducing the load on the refueler engine. EMS reduces the pump module hoses, filter, meter and pipe, obsoleting dozens of maintenance-heavy wearable parts. Certified by Center for Alternative Fuels Engines & Emissions (CAFEE), the EMS saves as much as 43% on fuel, 63% on emissions and 46% savings on engine wear due to the extremely low RPM.  The E-lectric Vehicle Jet Refueler has a similar Electric Management System that slows motor revolutions for efficiency and improved charged time, which also saves motor wear and electric utilization.

The E-lectric Vehicle Refueler is equipped with Battle Motor’s Digital Dash providing easy to read actionable data, diagnosis, and service manuals. Telemetrics continually monitors the chassis and transmits data every three seconds. Mobileye 8 Connect™ is a standard safety feature in all Rampmaster vehicles to help prevent and mitigate collisions with objects. 

“The introduction of the aviation industry’s first zero emissions electric jet refueler is another transformative step towards our net-zero goals using our innovation test bed at Signature Vail,” shared Brad Williams, Chief Operating Officer for Signature Aviation. “Our collaboration with Rampmaster exemplifies how we’re working with our partners and guests to research, invest, and bring to market innovative technologies to help create a more sustainable future in aviation.”

Rampmaster’s family of modular refuelers capacity spans from 3,000 to 7,000 gallon Freightliner chassis and 10,000 to 17,500 gallons with Battle Motors chassis. Rampmaster’s equipment has global reach in use at all major US city airports and via contractors serve the US military in the Middle East. Rampmaster offers unparalleled lease terms and the industry’s longest financing term lengths of 10 years. 

“We are pioneering the sustainability space by proactively delivering environmental and safety focused refueling technology. Innovating the only modular design refueler, patented engine management system, and industry’s first zero emissions all electric vehicle refueler in the United States are examples of us changing the aviation industry landscape – and we have no intention of stopping here,” continued Yohannan.