EPIC Fuels is partnering with the Red Bull Air Race as the official fuel supplier for the upcoming races in Indianapolis and Las Vegas. [Read more…]
New training aims to prevent misfueling
On April 17, 2015, a Cessna 421B pilot was forced to land on a highway, when first the left engine, then the right, lost all power during climb-out from Angelina County Airport (KLFK) in Lufkin, Texas.
According to the NTSB report, the plane was “substantially damaged,” while one person sustained serious injuries and two others sustained minor injuries.
When the pilot got out of the plane on the highway, he could smell Jet A fuel.
The problem? When he asked the FBO to top off the tip tanks, he meant with 100LL. [Read more…]
Rumors
There is a classic quote: “Rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated.”
Although this blog is weeks after Oshkosh, any rumor that I wasn’t in attendance is greatly exaggerated. Granted, I drove from Oregon to Wisconsin, but I did actually attend and I can put a couple of rumors to rest.
When I arrived on the first day of the event, rumors were swirling that mogas was available for transient aircraft.
Mogas was indeed available at Oshkosh during AirVenture. [Read more…]
Water: Can’t live without it, can’t fly with it
At most of my seminars, there is always a discussion about water in fuel, where it comes from and what steps need to be taken to guard against any problems because of it.
So, where does the water come from? Most of it comes from condensation. [Read more…]
Oshkosh Bound: Has anything changed in the last year?
As I was preparing my motorhome for the trip to AirVenture 2016, it dawned on me that I haven’t written anything for the GA Fuels blog in quite sometime. Perhaps that’s because not much is happening in the aviation fuel arena despite the nagging problems of TEL contamination and the perceptible decline in general aviation overall. The decline shows up in piston aircraft sales and the steady decline in avgas production.
Here is a short review of what has happened since AirVenture 2015: [Read more…]
How does the price of fuel compare where you live?
In its latest newsletter, GlobalAir.com listed the average price for Jet A and 100LL across the country, highlighting the lowest prices in the nation: [Read more…]
GlobalAir.com unveils Oshkosh fuel deals
The annual AirVenture fuel price specials have now been released by GlobalAir.com for pilots flying to and from Oshkosh. [Read more…]
New Jersey lawmakers urged to oppose raising aviation fuel taxes
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a letter to the leadership of the New Jersey State Senate and General Assembly, National Air Transportation Association (NATA) President and CEO Thomas L. Hendricks asked state lawmakers to oppose a proposed increase in state aviation fuel taxes, stating the proposal “will likely not have the intended effect of raising revenue, but rather reduce investment and good paying jobs in New Jersey.” [Read more…]
Phillips 66 Aviation expands contract fuel program
HOUSTON – Phillips 66 Aviation has expanded its contract fuel program, Partners-Into-Plane, to allow corporate and charter flight operators (Part 91 and 135) to participate in the program.
Phillips 66 Aviation’s Partners-Into-Plane Program is in its 40th year offering contract fuel. The program does not require fuel releases or contract fuel cards for processing, which streamlines the process, allowing flights to be ready for takeoff faster, according to company officials.
On the borderline
A summer job working the line at the local airport can be a great thing for an aspiring pilot, but perhaps not for the airplanes.
One of my first real jobs was pumping car gas, back in the days when drivers didn’t do it themselves. I was what we would call today a service station attendant. I had just started taking flying lessons, too, so I was in the right place at the right time when one of the line boys at the local airport quit for one reason or another.
With my vast six months or so of gas-pumping experience and the strong recommendation from a neighborhood friend who worked the afternoon shift, I got the job and maybe 30 minutes of training, most of which involved servicing the two fuel trucks.
Yes, in addition to getting up close and personal with all kinds of airplanes, the job came with heavy equipment. What more could a teenager want? [Read more…]