Cost of Ownership/Flying

Lebanon, OR (S30) has mogas WITHOUT ethanol for $3.65. Heck, it almost cost that much at the gas stations...with the ethanol! THe EGTs are a little hotter, but there isn't much difference in the CHTs. Franklin 150.
ll
 
We have the mogas STC for the Cessna 182, and ethanol free mogas is still available in Auburn WA, at Don Small & Sons fuel farm on C st. It's a card lock 24 hrs, and cash only with an attendant mon-fri day hours. It's about $2 per gallon chaeper than Av-gas, but the O-470 doesn't seem to notice any difference.
 
I was at an FAA Safety Team seminar a few months ago and the speaker was an old forest service pilot who has spent his career in Alaska. Very interesting life story but what I made a mental note of was the fact that they used a can or two of Heat in each tank because gasoline is 1% water. Heat is the same thing that is made in ethenol plants so exactly what will ethenol do to our engines?
Gary
 
I don't think it does a thing to the engines. The concern is all the rubber goods between the filler neck and the engine. Dan
 
That brings up another question!
While I'm rebuilding 392 (admittedly slowly), why don't I go ahead and install alcohol-compatble hoses?

I know why they decided to add alcohol to MoGas, but realistically, my Chrysler Concorde gets 2 mpg less now than it did with "straight" fuel. In my opinion, this addition was totally useless to the average consumer, but "super-good" for corn growers. Also made the tree huggers a little happier too I guess, but with them it's hard to tell. Sometimes I feel like they would like us to go back to riding horses... but then PETA would get mad. :roll:
 
Glenn, our cheap gas went to 5 bucks a gal. The ripoff FBO on the field is now 6.50 so we fly 5 miles north for the cheaper fuel. We just tanked the Spartan we have been flying and that was a cool 400 bucks for a fill up.WOW let's move to Alaska and drill our own. Going to OSH is going to be quite costly. Five more years I will be seventy and I'm done with the game.I will be out of money and out of time. Lynn the crate :?
 
So far I've gotten the best response from EAA that they're getting the message loud and clear that the cost of flying is outrageously high. A letter has also been published by NAFI. The Obama administration has stated that we are addicted to oil. Their stated intent to restrict production of carbon fuels. We are to run on solar and the wind. Free markets and Americans are not to be trusted. They are to be regulated.

During the last oil price spike Bush, through executive order, opened large territories for exploration in the gulf and the west. Oil prices immediately started to drop from $145/barrel to $38/barrel in February 2008 because speculation prevailed that supply would increase. Feb 2008 is when Obama reversed Bush's executive orders and oil prices immediately started to reverse. (http://www.nyse.tv/crude-oil-price-history.htm). Until recently the press has been eerily quiet on this. Now prices are getting so high it's making some news. One can only conclude that high energy costs are an intentional policy of this administration. The job loss, slowed economic recovery, and sustained high unemployment caused in part by disposable income supporting high energy costs rather than real growth is on purpose. The administration has smart people in it, so there can be no other reason. It is simple economics 101. Supply and demand. Reduce supply and costs will increase. This is ludicrous because we have more reserves in this country than Saudi Arabia, an estimated 200 year supply. It is a political policy not to use this resource.

I have pointed this out to all the alphabet groups and intellectuals. They all agree, but for supposed political reasons are mum on the issue. AOPA, EAA, NBAA etc do not want to get into energy policy even though this policy is destroying our industry. My sense is the average American is smarter than our political leaders and alphabet groups. Better people might be voted in future elections and held accountable for their behavior. Otherwise we've already seen the best our country can be and achievers and the passionate will be beaten down by high costs and regulation.
 
Ok, I'm in the Avionics end of GA. Garmin has become king and quite greedy. Lowrance folded their aviation and it is impossible to get any of its stuff fixed or upgraded. Narco went bankrupt and closed its doors. The trade mag Avionics News chairman wrote what a racket it has become to keep current. It's dead and the people who are suppose to help are all afraid of losing ther advertising money if they speak up. That is bull and I'm not afraid to say that we are to blame. The NRA just had their convention here in Pittsburgh. The news papers were not to kind to them BUT they stood their ground regardless of what the papers wanted the people to hear. We should do the same but AOPA has Turbine Pilot like any of us saps even care about that and EAA is just not vocal enough. I have met more pilots who quit flying than I have met active. The pilots who still own planes are as old as me and on the downside of the curve. Even this forum reflects the apathy. All those hits and so few voices----it's dead. Lynn the crate :evil:
 
Fuel aside, a major chunk of change is spent by all of us (either directly or indirectly) because we live in a very litigious society. There are no accidents anymore...there must be some cause and by golly the Edgar Snyders of the world will make sure they get every last penney they can squeeze out of us. I work as an engineer and I expend alot of effort to document everything I do to cover my butt. When I started in the business 30 years ago, this was not the case. My company recently lost a lawsuit for 2.5mil because someone did something dumb (opened a drain valve on a live process system and was burned severely for their lack of common sense). Everyone's gotta carry lots of insurance coverage these days to protect themselves and we get to pay the tab. When most of the present Congress is made up of lawyers we don't stand a good chance of making any inroads into true tort reform unless we really clean house in the next election.

All I can say is we need to keep sounding off about the issues, even though it may seem that we're preaching to the choir. If we don't do it, I can guarantee no one else will do it for us.
 
We're trying to get the Search & Rescue in Washington covered under the Good Samaritan Law to prevent lawsuits. Most State Senators and Representatives agree, but a few who are trial lawyers want the State to put up the Insurance for Search & Rescue.....
Meanwhile, a Hold Harmless law is being proposed to limit liability @ private airstrips. If you land at one, you accept the risk. OK with most Sen's & Rep's, but not the Trial Lawyers.....
 
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