On Feb 23, 9:41*am, "
wrote:
I had an airplane that I had to sacrifice for graduate school 4 years
ago. Now finish and looking to get back in the game, I find local
avgas prices in my area range from over $6 to over $7!!! (Up from
$2.30).

Have you tried the www.100ll.com site to find the cheapest avgas
price in your area? Full service FBO at large airports typically
charges a lot more than self-serve pumps at smaller airports. For
example, I had just checked the site for avgas price at KBUF in
comparison to the little next door airport KBQR in Buffalo, NY. KBUF
full service 100LL is $4.93 vs. $4.09 at KBQR.
Avgas has risen in the last few years, but the same goes with auto
gas. In my area, we are paying $4.05 for avgas and $3.65 or so for
premium gasoline so the price difference is quite small. I recalled
that for several times last year, avgas prices were lower than auto
gas prices.
I was just browsing an aviation forum today and was amused to read
a post stating that flying was an expensive addiction but it was still
cheaper than drug, alcohol or a mistress ;-)
For us, the biggest flying expenses have always been maintenance
and upkeep. We had just received a $900 bill from our A&P for fixing
a broken flap bracket and replacing the flap cable. It was $64 for
the parts and over $800 for labor. This was with my husband doing all
the grunt work!
Flying expense is a big part of our living budget, but it has been
an indispensable part ever since we stepped in a small cockpit, pulled
up the yokes and transformed ourselves into inhabitants of the sky. So
I will continue to skimp and save, drive my 15-year old car to the
ground, bake my own bread, don't eat out, wear my threadbare socks
until they become too 'holy' etc., saving a dollar here and a dollar
there to maintain my sky membership.

Hai Longworth