Definition
A fuel servicing arrangement on large aircraft that allows all fuel tanks to be filled through a single pressurized fueling point, usually located on the underside of a wing. Fuel is distributed from this single connection through internal manifolds and valves to each tank, with quantity and shutoff controlled from a panel at the fueling station.
Plain English
One connection point on the aircraft where a fuel truck hooks up and fills every tank at once, instead of having to fuel each tank separately from the top.
Context Anchor
Seen during ground refueling of larger aircraft or aircraft with multiple fuel tanks.
Derivation
‘Central’ here means a single shared point of access. The system is called central because all the tanks are filled through one common connection rather than each tank having its own filler.
Why Pilots Care
Reduces ground time, lowers the chance of fuel spills or contamination, and allows precise control of fuel distribution for weight and balance.
Intuition Check
Central does not mean the aircraft has one central fuel tank. Here it means the aircraft can be refueled through one main refueling point that feeds multiple tanks.
Example Sentence 1
The first officer monitored the central refueling system panel under the right wing as each tank filled to its preselected quantity.
Example Sentence 2
Before departure the pilot verified that the central refueling system had delivered the correct total fuel load to each tank.