cheap avgas

Bravo8500 wrote:
What makes gas so much cheaper in some places? Is it old gas or
something?

There are many factors. I have lived in several places where
the mogas prices were suspiciously high. There have been
"investigations", which always fail to uncover any collusion.
When questioned, the distributors tell a story about "zone
pricing" - which is a bunch of hooey IMHO. I have observed that
when a well known discount chain opens a station, prices
come down all over town. The only thing that keeps prices
down is competetion - or an unfair? advantage. I regularly
pass through in indian reservation in the course of my work.
The station there has prices 15-20 cents lower than elsewhere.
The difference is taxes - no State tax! Not surprisingly, the
station is always busy.

As for avgas, I believe that many FBOs charge whatever the
traffic will bear. They get away with it because often they
have a monopoly. I did find a municipal airport (who also
ran the fuel concession) that had prices a good 50 cents
a gallon lower than another airport nearby. Since there is
so little competition, about the only thing pilots can do
is to try to find out where the lowest prices can be had,
and flight plan accordingly. I wonder if there are any air-
ports (with avgas) on indian reservations?

In spite of the large differences in prices out there, I do
feel that it makes little sense to deviate or make an other-
wise unnecessary stop just to take advantage of better gas
prices. However, if you can obtain the info ahead of time,
and taking advantage of it fits in with your plans, go for it!
David Johnson