Avgas in France has reached $7.50/gal !

Dylan Smith wrote:
In article , Matt Barrow wrote:

Which is why I put "useful" in quotes. Their engines are not built, I'd
guess, for the speeds or distances involved out here.


Speeds are generally much higher in Europe than the western US.
Additionally, take the range of a Volkswagen Jetta TDi - it'll get
around 700 miles off a tank of diesel. It will also give good power in
the mountains, I have friends in Utah who love their TDi. My Dad's last
diesel, a Peugeot, lasted over 350,000 miles.

A Volkswagen and a Puegot? Goddamn things come with mechanics? Ain't
no place to get them fixed around here.

"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message
link.net...
Yes I would support an IFR system like in the UK. You fly without radar
separation below certain altitudes and you don't have to talk to ATC.
AFAIK
there has never been a collision.

Just a guide.

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/224/SRG_GA_LARS_in_SEE.pdf

There's an interesting map of air-proxes and mid-air collisions. It
surprised me that there were five mid-air collisions from 1991 to 2001 in
the south east of England. Three of them involve gliders, with one being
plane with glider. The other two happened while flying formation/formation
aeros though they were both relatively minor (no one was hurt).

Paul

"Cub Driver" wrote in message
...

Since they have 6300 and 481, respectively, I'd say their avgas prices
have done a remarkably good job of killing aviation in France.

There are other reasons, of course, one being that (in effect, for
most purposes) there is no VFR flight.

Really? I fly everywhere VFR.

Most European nations are, by American standards, very congested. It's
probably not a coincidence that the only European posting here
regularly flies on the Isle of Man.

Cough...ok, I've been missing quite a lot recently...

Paul

Dylan Smith wrote:

Americans just don't like diesels. They're better than the junk that came
out 20-25 years ago, but they still sell abysmally other than in the bigger
pickup trucks.

I know that - but that doesn't mean that diesels AREN'T good now and
AREN'T up to the job because they most certianly are. A modern turbo
diesel car is as comfortable as a gasoline driven one, just as fast and
often has way better endurance and often has an engine which will last
much longer on less maintenance.

If BMW would actually introduce the 745d in the US, well that would be a
car for "out-west". Silent, fast, pulls like a freight train (700nm
torque!) and about 35 mpg highway... I wonder why they haven't done it
yet...

Cheers,
jens
--
I don't accept any emails right now. Usenet replys only.

"Dylan Smith" wrote

Every time they accelerated
there was a *thick* pall of black smoke. Those trucks wouldn't be
allowed on the roads here.

Think that is bad. go to Quito, Ecuador. Every truck was like a heavy chain
smoker; way overdue for an overhaul.

Denver, Colorado has some of the strictest particulate laws anywhere. If
you can see smoke, it is not going to pass.
--
Jim in NC

"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
...
And now you can throw insurance into the mix along with avgas prices:

"$5 MILLION COVERAGE TO FLY A 182 IN EUROPE?
Thinking of flying your N-registered aircraft in Europe? Better make
sure you can afford it. The European Union is imposing new liability
insurance requirements for general aviation aircraft starting April 30.
If you were flying a Cessna 182 with four people on board, you'd need
almost $5 million in insurance coverage--assuming you could find the
coverage and afford it."

Insurance isn't so much of a problem here. If you pay for it,
you get it. My liability has gone up from £1m (non compulsory)
to £3m (compulsory about £2.5m) and I have to pay about an
extra £100 a year. It's not ideal though. The B17s and such like
flying here may have massive increases.

http://www.flyer.co.uk/news/newsfeed.php?artnum=190

We used to have sensible regulations here in the UK before
the European JAR regulations came in. The JARs brought in
things like having to do 12 hours in 2 years but in the second of
the two years, with none to do in the first. The old CAA rule was
5 hours every 13 months. Now we have to do a BFR, we have
the 3 take-offs and landings in 90 days to take passengers and
other things taken from the FARs.

Paul

"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
...
At
that point it all clicked. The folks from Philly come up to northern PA
to "get away from it all", but then bring their nasty and unfriendly
attitudes right along with them.

Like people moving to the vicinity of airports then complaining
about the noise.

Paul

"Dylan Smith" wrote in message
...
In Britain, the speed limit has never been that low. All dual
carriageways ('divided highways') have a default speed limit of 70mph.

Britain didn't have a speed limit until 1967 when the 70mph
national limit was brought in. The "unofficial" speed limit on British
motorways is 85mph. 90-100mph is common. Turbo-diesels are
ideal for these sort of motorway speeds. Good torque for overtaking
and pretty frugal in the process.

Anyone who comes here from the US or Canada complains that
we drive too fast.

Paul

"Dylan Smith" wrote in message
...
To date, there is only one major 3G network (called 3) which
is notable for being awful (it doesn't give you real internet access,
merely a walled garden of their own approved content). Not surprisingly,
3 has moved to selling their service on cheap voice calls. Hardly the
promise of 3G. I think another mobile provider has recently started
rolling out 3G, years after they scrambled to get on the bandwagon that
was as insubstantial as the hard vacuum of space.

Go with Vodafone. We've had them up and running for a couple of
years now and public for a year. You can get a data card or phone so you
can get 384kbps mobile for proper internet access. Don't think they've got
any RBSs on the IOM yet though! Sorry, I'll have to look at the expansion
plans.

As far as I know, Orange, O2 and T-Mobile have all got 3G networks
up and running - possible one of them hasn't gone public yet IIRC.

The 3G license thing was just rediculous.

Paul

"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:dcG9e.13130$Fm5.9947@trndny09...
Dave Stadt wrote:

If you believe GA is in good shape in France and other parts of the EU
go to
the AOPA WEB site and read about the new liability insurance
requirements
the EU has placed on GA aircraft. $119 million in liability insurance
required for a 182. Doesn't sound healthy to me.

Read through the actual PDF document. For a private operator, they require
a
minimum of 100,000 SDRs/passenger and 1,000 SDRs for luggage. For coverage
of
non-passengers, you need 3 million SDRs for a 182. The current exchange
rate is
1.51746 dollars to one SDR. While the rate is still crazy, no way can I
make it
add up to $119 million. Seems to me that's a policy for $4,552,380 with
sublimits of $151,746 per seat, plus a luggage allowance.

In any case, what's important is the amount of the premium, not the
coverage
amount. Liability cases are not settled by juries in Europe, nor are the
awards
very high (by American standards). I'd bet the premiums are far lower as
well.

Stefan? Wolfgang? Martin? Dylan? What's insurance like over there?

My Bulldog, 200hp 2 seats, nosewheel, aerobatic and formation included,
£32,000 hull, £3m liability, £7.5m liability for government (RAF and
RNAS) aerodromes this year is £1366. 15% discount next year if I
don't make a claim.

Paul