flight school installing an autofuel tank

The owner of a flight school at my airport (PAE) told me today that
he'll soon install a 1500 gallon fuel tank for 91 octane autofuel, to
supply fuel for his STC'ed cherokees and the Stingsport LSA on his
flightline (he's a dealer for Stingsport LSA). What a concept! He can
save a whole bunch on fuel, offering a better wet rental rate, and I'll
have another on-airport autofuel supplier in this area (the other is at
the self serve pump at AWO).

In case people didn't notice, the price gap between avgas and autogas
is no longer $1/gallon. It has grown to something more like
$1.30/gallon.

You are fortunate that alcohol-free autogas is available. In our area of
the US (SF Bay area), all autofuel now has alky, making my autogas STC
useless. Believe me I would love to use unleaded autogas. I did so for
over 1500 hours and the engine was never cleaner internally. The oil stayed
cleaner looking for many hours. My plugs were nearly spotless when pulled
for inspection and regapping. I'd even pay more for autogas, if I could get
it without alcohol.

John Severyn
@LVK

"M" wrote in message
oups.com...
The owner of a flight school at my airport (PAE) told me today that
he'll soon install a 1500 gallon fuel tank for 91 octane autofuel, to
supply fuel for his STC'ed cherokees and the Stingsport LSA on his
flightline (he's a dealer for Stingsport LSA). What a concept! He can
save a whole bunch on fuel, offering a better wet rental rate, and I'll
have another on-airport autofuel supplier in this area (the other is at
the self serve pump at AWO).

In case people didn't notice, the price gap between avgas and autogas
is no longer $1/gallon. It has grown to something more like
$1.30/gallon.

That's just terrible. I think AOPA and EAA's lobby wasn't as
experienced or ramped up when the stupid ethanol rule went in at
California at what, 7 years ago?

Washington state has passed an ethanol law last year. Thanks for the
AOPA lobby the final version of the law had a few minor but very
important changes: it exempted aircraft fuel from ethanol blending
(which is common in many states), and more importantly, it changed a
per-gallon blending requirement to a total volume requirement for each
oil supplier. Basically, instead of requiring each gallon of gasoline
contain 2% ethanol, it requires 2% of total gasoline sale by each oil
company throughout the state to be pure ethanol on a quarterly basis.
Given ethanol has to be blended at a terminal facility (thank goodness
for its pipeline corroding property!!!), this gives the oil company a
lot of freedom to sell ethanol free gasoline, as long as they blend
some of their gasoline sale with higher than 2% ethanol to meet the
quota.

The effect of that law is yet to be seen because it won't take effect
until 2007. However I think the way the law is written, bulk fuel
purchaser (such as FBO and flight school) will continue to be able to
buy ethanol free gasoline easily. On the street pump the oil company
might sell their premium gas ethanol free as a selling point, because
the law doesn't require ethanol in every gallon of gas.


J. Severyn wrote:
You are fortunate that alcohol-free autogas is available. In our area of
the US (SF Bay area), all autofuel now has alky, making my autogas STC
useless. Believe me I would love to use unleaded autogas. I did so for
over 1500 hours and the engine was never cleaner internally. The oil stayed
cleaner looking for many hours. My plugs were nearly spotless when pulled
for inspection and regapping. I'd even pay more for autogas, if I could get
it without alcohol.

John Severyn
@LVK

"M" wrote in message
oups.com...
The owner of a flight school at my airport (PAE) told me today that
he'll soon install a 1500 gallon fuel tank for 91 octane autofuel, to
supply fuel for his STC'ed cherokees and the Stingsport LSA on his
flightline (he's a dealer for Stingsport LSA). What a concept! He can
save a whole bunch on fuel, offering a better wet rental rate, and I'll
have another on-airport autofuel supplier in this area (the other is at
the self serve pump at AWO).

In case people didn't notice, the price gap between avgas and autogas
is no longer $1/gallon. It has grown to something more like
$1.30/gallon.

The owner of a flight school at my airport (PAE) told me today that
he'll soon install a 1500 gallon fuel tank for 91 octane autofuel, to
supply fuel for his STC'ed cherokees and the Stingsport LSA on his
flightline (he's a dealer for Stingsport LSA). What a concept! He can
save a whole bunch on fuel, offering a better wet rental rate, and I'll
have another on-airport autofuel supplier in this area (the other is at
the self serve pump at AWO).

Outstanding! Our stupid airport commission and FBO would much rather
complain about the stuff (although, in fairness, they're pretty muted
about it) instead of jumping on board the band wagon, and installing
tanks/pumps. Lord knows they wouldn't want to actually make any money
selling fuel...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

M wrote:

In case people didn't notice, the price gap between avgas and autogas
is no longer $1/gallon. It has grown to something more like
$1.30/gallon.

The gap is closer to $2 here in CT.

Jay Honeck wrote:

Outstanding! Our stupid airport commission and FBO would much rather
complain about the stuff (although, in fairness, they're pretty muted
about it) instead of jumping on board the band wagon, and installing
tanks/pumps. Lord knows they wouldn't want to actually make any money
selling fuel...

The thing about it is Jay, that spending the money on a new
tank farm/self service installation is a significant business
decision. As you know, in this day and age, its not as simple
as just slapping in a tank... you need containment, fancy
(and expensive) equipment and more inspections involved. You
should know about about all the government regulations (dare
we mention liabilities??) and that costs money.

They have to know that the system can pay for itself in a
reasonable amount of time and that the sales will justify
initial investment and continued maintenance headaches.
You are dealing with a customer base that is already pinching
pennies as it is....

Comparing the highest octane auto fuel with 100LL here in southern AZ, the
difference is about 75 cents if you make judicious fuel stops.

--
Best Regards,
Mike

http://photoshow.comcast.net/mikenoel

"Kingfish" wrote in message
ups.com...

M wrote:

In case people didn't notice, the price gap between avgas and autogas
is no longer $1/gallon. It has grown to something more like
$1.30/gallon.

The gap is closer to $2 here in CT.

M wrote:
The owner of a flight school at my airport (PAE) told me today that
he'll soon install a 1500 gallon fuel tank for 91 octane autofuel, to
supply fuel for his STC'ed cherokees and the Stingsport LSA on his
flightline (he's a dealer for Stingsport LSA). What a concept! He can
save a whole bunch on fuel, offering a better wet rental rate, and I'll
have another on-airport autofuel supplier in this area (the other is at
the self serve pump at AWO).

In case people didn't notice, the price gap between avgas and autogas
is no longer $1/gallon. It has grown to something more like
$1.30/gallon.

Our local flight school owner just bought an old fuel truck out of
trade-a-plane and buys 100LL bulk from the oil company. Their truck
comes out to the airport and fills his truck. (He gets around the state
transport laws because his truck never touches public roads). His price
on the direct bought 100LL is pretty awesome. Now I see him out there
in the mornings putting gas in all his planes. Of course the fuel
dealer on the field had been charging $5.25 for self serve at the time
too, so there was quiet an incentive.

-Robert

M wrote:
The owner of a flight school at my airport (PAE) told me today that
he'll soon install a 1500 gallon fuel tank for 91 octane autofuel, to
supply fuel for his STC'ed cherokees and the Stingsport LSA on his
flightline (he's a dealer for Stingsport LSA). What a concept! He can
save a whole bunch on fuel, offering a better wet rental rate, and I'll
have another on-airport autofuel supplier in this area (the other is at
the self serve pump at AWO).

In case people didn't notice, the price gap between avgas and autogas
is no longer $1/gallon. It has grown to something more like
$1.30/gallon.

Of course, that is going to depend upon how much the owner of the flight
school is going to sell autogas for... I seem to remember reading in our
city's docs for our airport that it was defined that they would sell
fuel for $1 per gallon over their actual cost...

"M" wrote in message
oups.com...

That's just terrible. I think AOPA and EAA's lobby wasn't as
experienced or ramped up when the stupid ethanol rule went in at
California at what, 7 years ago?

California's ethanol rule expired over a year ago. California gas stations
can have any blend of ethanol they want, including zero if that is their
choice. HOWEVER, ethanol bumps the antiknock rating up by two or three
points, so they'd have to relabel their pumps down because the cracking
plants aren't going to up the octane unless they have to ... cheaper to
crack lower octane, y'know.

The whole thing sucks.

Jim