Anyone feeling the fuel supply/pricing pinch?

Skyhook · #1 09-01-2005, 03:41 PM

My -4 has the O-360 and 'requires' 100LL, which was $3.59 before the hurricane debacle. I haven't needed fuel since, but am a bit leary about my next fill-up.

Drudge's site just today says there are real shortages of avjet which could result in the closings of several airports in the east and southeast.

What's the situation out your way? How're you all coping?

Rosie · #2 09-01-2005, 04:35 PM

Here are a few places you can start with to get a feel for fuel prices nationwide:

Local Fuel Prices
Great Fuel Deals
Statistical Report

My CA homebase airport (L00) has gone from $3.27/gal to $3.49/gal over the course of one week, and I believe the increasing fuel price trend will continue for the foreseeable future

I would ask that everybody try to keep fuel prices updated here at AirNav, especially if you are flying cross-country, so that we can all find affordable fuel across America

Rosie

Kyle Boatright · #3 09-01-2005, 04:49 PM

My home field, which is notorious for having high prices had 100LL for $4.02 last weekend. Heaven knows what it is now.

Fortunately, at 100 hours a year and 8 gallons an hour, a $1/gallon increase "only" adds $800/yr to the cost of aviating. That's probably a 10% increase in my total cost of ownership...

zspivey · #4 09-01-2005, 07:04 PM

Guys,
This DOE site gives a big picture look at the energy situation east of the Rockies. http://www.esisac.com/hurricane_topics.htm
Click on DOE situation report.

It does not look good for the short term. As of 6:00P.M. today shut in oil production in the Gulf of Mexico was 1,356,498 bbls per day. This is 90.4% of the daily production capacity.
Ten refineries in the Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coast area are down. Ten refineries are up and running, however 5 of them are running at reduced capacity.
Two pipelines for refined petroleum products that serve the Southeast, the Mid Atlantic, and the Northeastern states are running at 25 to 40% of capacity because the pumping stations in Louisiana and Mississippi are down due to power outages.

The two utilites that serve Southeastern Louisiana, Entergy Louisiana and Cleco, report 60% and 31% respectively of their customers are without power.

To recover, we need all of the offshore oil production back in service, we need all of the refineries back up and running and we need the pipelines running at full capacity to get the finished product to the end use.

JohnR · #5 09-01-2005, 07:26 PM

One of my clients was telling me today thattheir trucks are unable to run in the south due ot NO fuel. It is putting a big damper on their deliveries and therefore their business.

About all I cna do is ride the motorcycle instead of taking the truck. Save a little for soeone else to use.

Skyhook · #6 09-02-2005, 04:27 AM

Thanks for the excellent links, all.

We had planned a rather long trip for this fall, but due to the uncertainties of supplies and the huge prices, we're staying put for now.

I have a lot to do to prepare for winter anyhow.

Highflight · #7 09-02-2005, 04:51 AM

Like Kyle says, the difference really amounts to only a few percentage points more.
But from past experience, we've all seen how the psychology of a gas hike of even a dime brings out the press interviewing a bunch of whiners about how their whole lives will change because of paying more for fuel.
So I wonder if any lurkers who've been "this close" to ordering their tail kit and starting an RV are putting it off because of the current events.

Just wondering out loud...

rrrob · #8 09-02-2005, 06:18 AM

All the more reason to fly. Faster, shorter and a whole lot more satisfaction and as some one above pointed out, maybe 10% more cost. Airnav is great as long as you watch the posting dates and even call ahead.
Roger Robertson,
Leaning toward a Rotary powered RV-9.

cjensen · #9 09-02-2005, 07:48 AM

i have a "travel cost estimator" that i came up with on my home computer a couple of years ago. unleaded went to $3.20 and avgas is $4.09 right now. so, i plugged those numbers in for the car, truck, and airplane. for a trip to my in-laws (about 180sm round trip by car, and 120nm round trip by airplane) the cost to take the truck was $35, the car was $26, and the airplane was $24!! there's no science here, just basic formulas for figuring burn rates, speed, and cost. of course, this is just the cost of gas.

i think we'll fly!

i did buy a 50cc scooter to ride to work though. the thing gets 90mpg!! that should save some for others to use.

Kenneth · #10 09-02-2005, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highflight

So I wonder if any lurkers who've been "this close" to ordering their tail kit and starting an RV are putting it off because of the current events.

Just wondering out loud...

I'm definately in the "this close" to ordering the tail kit category. I'm not at all deterred from ordering it based on the fuel situation. By the time I'm flying *hopefully* everything will have pretty much stabilized and we can all go back to complaning about $2.00/gal 100LL.

--Ken