CNAF Refuel in the Forbidden Zone of Life
China National Aviation Fuel Group Limited (CNAF) overcomes great difficulties to refuel flights at the world's highest airport in DaochengYading, Sichuan province in Southwest China.
DaochengYading airport is located 4,411 meters above sea level in Western Sichuan Province on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau.
As the largest state-owned aviation fuel supplier in China, CNAF has five plateau aviation oil supply stations in Sichuan province, from 3,448 to 4,411 meters above sea level.
From the north-west to the south-west of Sichuan, these five supply stations, spanning thousands of miles, have established a common home: "4,411 high plateau United Party branch of China Aviation Oil Southwest Company" (hereinafter referred to as "4,411 United Party branch").
DaochengYading aviation oil supply station with an altitude of 4,411 meters is the highest aviation oil supply station in the world.
"There won't be another airport in the world with an altitude of 4411 meters, because it has reached the limit of human activities," said Li Wenjun, head of the publicity department of CNAF, adding that to refuel the aircraft accurately and safely at a high altitude airport for a long time requires a sense of responsibility, mission and meticulous attitude and spirit.
DaochengYading aviation oil supply station was built at the end of 2013 and put into operation at the beginning of 2014. There is a manager, four gas workers and two security personnel.
Over the past five years, DaochengYading aviation oil supply station has created double-digit growth in annual fuel consumption. Last year, 550 planes were refueled. In addition, the supply station also helps facilitate surrounding military and rescue tests.
The complex terrain, high cold and anoxia, bad climate, difficult supply and loneliness bring severe challenges to aviation oil supply.
"We are the troops without military uniforms and the air force on land," said Zhou Qiang, Secretary of the Party committee and chairman of the board of directors of CNAF.
Zhou attached great importance to the Party Construction on the plateau, planning it from a high starting point, popularizing and developing it in depth.
The spirit of "preferring to overdraw one's life and never failing to live up to one's mission" is the characteristic of CNAF’s Party Construction on the plateau, and "4,411 United Party branch" is typical of that.
Chen Yufei, Secretary of the "4,411 United Party branch", said that "4411 United Party branch" adheres to Party Construction and promotes production with Party Construction. Their staff in the five plateau airports walk more than 20,000 steps a day during work and more than 5,000 kilometers a year. They also inspect 12,000 oil products and contact more than 3,000 gas outlets every year.
By building a brand of grass-roots Party Construction as represented on the plateau, the Party Committee of CNAF has effectively stimulated the cohesion and creativity of grass-roots party organizations, promoted the Party Construction work to lead the development of the enterprise, and made solid steps in the great journey of building a world-class aviation oil company.
At present, CNAF has become the largest aviation fuel supplier in Asia. With a sales revenue of USD24.58 billion in 2016, the company ranks 439st among the Fortune Global 500.