We’re aware of some folks out there who claim they never spill (yea, ok) but for the rest of us willing to admit our imperfections at the pump, the Chadd Padds® (when used) make our refuelings just about as perfect as possible each & every time. Just consider the cheap insurance they provide when compared to the possibility of what can happen when gas or oil is spilled at the point of fill-up including; environmental impact, fee and/or fines, a plain mess to clean up, fire, & even explosions to name a few.

The Chadd Padd® was originally developed for use in the aviation industry by “linemen” (or one lineman in particular) - the aviation term for the people who refuel aircraft on the flight line. The main reason for this was because until the Chadd Padd® was developed, all that the aviation industry had to use to protect the aircraft they were refueling were rubber mats. Because the “official” fuel mats (over priced rubber) were so expensive, folks started to get crafty by cutting holes in car floor mats and front door welcome mats to try and accomplish the same. The mats (no matter which ones were used) were often dirty from prior fuel spills which made them tacky and caused them to attract dirt and grit, similar to salting the rim of a margarita glass. The linemen were then expected to use these gritty mats for “protection” of the aircraft’s surface and paint from any damage that the refueler may accidentally cause with the hose nozzle and/or couplings.

It didn’t take long for the industry to realize that it was better off by sometimes using nothing at all. The linemen would use rags to set the cap on the plane’s surface and hold their hand under the hose couplings to try to prevent damage to the paint. This method worked some of the time but was more of a matter of “not if but when” something would happen as it often did. Neither of these halfway methods lent a solution to the most serious potential problem of all – spilt petroleum. If petroleum was spilled, fueling ceased as the HAZMAT clean up took place. This method of waiting to spill before countermeasures are put in place is now a thing of the past, thanks to the Chadd Padd® - where refueling safety now takes the proactive approach, not the reactive one.

These refueling safety concerns are just as important in our everyday lives in work and in play and not something just for the aviation community to be concerned with. Whether it’s fueling up our car for work or our boat / bike for a weekend jaunt, we are constantly faced with trying to protect our “vessels” and the environment from petroleum. The Chadd Padd® now makes it possible to “fuel” worry-free with no harm done to us, our machinery, or our environment!