Short answer: Most spills in a general aviation hangar are small: oil released during an oil change, drips from a parked airplane, or a small amount of fuel on the floor. A box of oil-only pads, a few socks and a small spill kit cover most of these situations. Oil-only absorbents repel water, and SpillTech lists motor oil, hydraulic oil, gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel for its oil-only line. If you wash parts or have water on the floor, add universal pads. A small airport with a fuel tank or self-serve pump should keep an oil-only drum kit and a boom by the pump.
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Ships to US addresses only. Shipping is calculated at checkout, and freight items are quoted in writing.
What spills happen in a general aviation hangar?
Typical examples: oil runs onto the floor when the oil filter comes off, a brake line weeps and leaves a spot under the wheel, a parked airplane drips a little each time it sits, or at the pump a tank is overfilled or the nozzle drips on its way back to the hook.
EPA lists engine oil, hydraulic fluid and fuel as the usual spills and leaks from servicing aircraft (EPA Sector S fact sheet, Feb 2021).
Oil-only pads absorb oil and oil-based liquids and repel water. Universal pads take up oils, coolants, solvents and water, so they are the better choice at a parts washer or on a wet floor (same source). Read the SDS for each fluid you use. SpillTech also recommends testing its products with your own chemicals before you buy (SpillTech compatibility chart). For battery electrolyte, acids or any unidentified liquid, see our hazmat absorbents.
What rules apply?
Most of these apply to businesses and airports, not to an owner working on a personal airplane. Rules vary by location, so always check your federal, state and local regulations, and ask your airport if you're unsure.
- Stormwater. EPA's fact sheet for air transportation facilities covers operations that service or maintain aircraft, clean equipment or fuel, including airport tenants. It suggests dry cleanup instead of hosing down, absorbents for spills and leaks, and spill kits at fueling stations and in each hangar (EPA Sector S fact sheet). Your permitting authority decides who needs a permit.
- SPCC (fuel tanks). EPA's SPCC rule generally doesn't apply if aggregate aboveground oil storage capacity is 1,320 gallons or less, counting only containers of 55 gallons or more, and other conditions are met (40 CFR 112.1(d)(2)). Mobile refuelers are not among the capacity exclusions (40 CFR 112.1, 112.2). Sorbent materials are one of the listed containment methods for onshore facilities (40 CFR 112.7(c)).
- Fueling at certificated airports. If you fuel aircraft for others at a Part 139 airport, the airport's fuel fire-safety standards apply to you (14 CFR 139.321(c)).
- Flight schools and other employers. Walking-working surfaces must be kept free of hazards such as leaks and spills (29 CFR 1910.22(a)).
Pads and kits support a spill plan. Purchasing them does not, by itself, satisfy any regulatory requirement.
What should a hangar or small airport keep on hand?
Oil-only kits and absorbents
Universal absorbents for the shop
Drain covers
What goes where?
The following are general suggestions; adjust them to your SDSs and your airport's rules.
- Private or T-hangar: a small oil-only kit or a box of oil-only pads, plus a few socks.
- Under a parked airplane that drips: an oil-only pad, replaced when saturated.
- Maintenance bench: universal pads to line the bench, and a pillow under anything that leaks.
- Self-serve pump or fuel tank: an oil-only drum kit, a boom between the pump and the nearest drain, and a drain cover.
Shop spill kits by type
- Universal spill kits (gray)
- Oil-only spill kits (white)
- HazMat and chemical spill kits (yellow)
- OverPack salvage drum spill kits
- Trucker, fleet bag and 5-gallon pail kits
Buyer guides
- Universal vs. oil-only vs. hazmat spill kits
- How to size a spill kit
- Trucker and fleet spill kit guide
- OverPack drum vs. wheeled vs. bag spill kits
- SpillTech refill cross-reference
How does ordering and shipping work?
All orders ship; we do not offer pickup or will-call, and our Florence address is a mailing address only. Shipping is calculated at checkout, and freight is quoted in writing.
WellKept Supply is a distributor. Some items ship directly from the manufacturer, and lead times vary by product. We confirm the lead time on the product page or in your quote. We ship to US addresses only. If your hangar has gate or delivery requirements, include them in the order notes so the carrier can reach you.
Not sure which kit size you need?
The kit finder is preset for oil, up to 5 gallons, indoors. Adjust any answer to see a different recommendation. For a fuel farm, a 95-gallon kit or a list for several hangars, send a quote request and we will price it in writing.
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Questions? Call (859) 534-9715 or email sales@wellkeptsupply.com, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM ET.
Related pages: Aircraft hangars and FBOs · Auto body and repair shops · Warehouses and fleets
FAQ
What should I keep in a private hangar?
For most single-airplane hangars, a box of oil-only pads, a few oil-only socks and a small oil-only kit. Oil-only absorbents absorb oil and oil-based liquids and repel water. As an example, SpillTech rates its Oil-Only 5-Gallon kit (SPKO-5) at up to 4.6 gallons. If you wash parts or have water on the floor, add universal pads.
Should I buy oil-only or universal pads?
Oil-only pads absorb oil and oil-based liquids, not water. SpillTech lists motor oil, hydraulic oil, gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel for its oil-only line. Universal pads take up oils, coolants, solvents and water. Use oil-only where water is present, and universal for mixed fluids in the shop.
Does a small airport fuel tank need an SPCC plan?
It depends on your oil storage. EPA's SPCC rule generally doesn't apply if aggregate aboveground oil storage capacity is 1,320 gallons or less, counting only containers of 55 gallons or more, among other conditions. Mobile refuelers count toward that total. Check 40 CFR 112.1 or ask your environmental consultant.
Are these absorbent pads static-dissipative?
The standard oil-only and universal pads on this page are not static-dissipative, per SpillTech. For that, SpillTech makes ARRESTOR oil-only static-dissipative pads, which we carry: WPX100H (100 per package) and WPX50H (50 per package). SpillTech says they are for use where static electricity is a problem or where vapors can ignite.
Can you ship to my hangar?
Yes, to US addresses. All orders ship; we do not offer pickup or will-call. Shipping is calculated at checkout, and freight items such as 95-gallon kits are quoted in writing. WellKept Supply is a distributor. Some items ship directly from the manufacturer, and lead times vary by product.
Sources
Regulators and agencies
- EPA Industrial Stormwater Fact Sheet, Sector S (EPA-833-F-06-034, Feb 2021), pp. 1-3, 6-8: www.epa.gov
- EPA 40 CFR 112.1 (SPCC applicability, threshold, capacity exclusions): www.ecfr.gov
- EPA 40 CFR 112.2 (definition of mobile refueler): www.ecfr.gov
- EPA 40 CFR 112.7(c) (containment methods, including sorbent materials): www.ecfr.gov
- FAA 14 CFR 139.321 (fuel fire-safety standards; (c) applies them to all fueling agents): www.ecfr.gov
- FAA AC 150/5230-4C (training topic 7.h: large spill, contact ARFF): www.faa.gov
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.22(a): www.osha.gov
Manufacturers
- SpillTech 2026 catalog, p. 5 (printed page), fluid guide (Oil Only and Universal lists; "For oils and oil-based liquids, not water").
- SpillTech chemical compatibility chart (testing recommendation)
- SpillTech product pages: SPKO-5, SPKO-20, SPKO-95, WPB100M, WSO430, WB510SN, SPKU-5, SPKU-10, GPB100M, GPL100M, GPIL1818
- SpillTech 2026 catalog: ARRESTOR WPX50H and WPX100H (p. 34)
- SpillTech product data for DrainCover ADC36-R, as shown on our product page
- Absorbents Midwest 2024 Product Catalog (PDF page: 16916 p. 16): www.absorbentsmidwest.com
WellKept Supply is a distributor. Some items ship directly from the manufacturer, and lead times vary by product.