Getting 100LL at Airventure Impossible. Literally

[mitchellfstafford]

We landed with enough fuel to get on out and to an appropriate fuel stop (within, say, an hour of OSH). This also fit in with not being too heavy on the reportedly-smooshy ground.

When, on Saturday, the forecast made it look like the whole area would be IFR in the morning, we decided we'd gas up (if reasonably possible), and fly further so we did not have to shoot an approach to a gas stop. Called Basler that evening, placed a detailed fuel order, and arrived early in the morning to see the fueler just finishing up, fuel dispensed per instructions.

Could not have been more pleased.
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Literally!

That's the way it's supposed to work. Glad things got back to normal for the mass departures on the weekend.

 

[Henning]

You can't tell me that in 20 minutes you could descend from 7000 feet, taxi in, fill up, take a leak, taxi back, takeoff, climb back up to 7000 feet (500 fpm at about 75 knots, gross weight 172).

Well, I didn't fly pipeline at 7000', but my fuel turnarounds were typicaly under 20 minutes, often considerably under. I had one stop I'd call on unicom and the truck was waiting and ready as I taxied up. He'd fuel, I'd hand him my card, get a drink and pee, get back, check the tanks and caps, sign it and be gone in under 10 min. Is there some reason you had to climb and descend in the minimum forward distance? Not really defending the silliness of not allowing a fuel truck to be driven across the pavement to get to you (like nearly any other volunteer operated event, it becomes a moronathon when things actually require some thought), but "not making a stop" shouldn't really be a consideration for the reasons you gave. "Saving money" or "saving time" is the basis of thinking that gets people to run out of fuel while still airborne. When you fly GA you always need to consider that it will be expensive and if you pay a buck a gallon more for fuel here vs there, it's gonna cost an extra $30 or so in a 172. Man, you can't even take a date to the movies for $30, you can barely take yourself. Is it worth stressing over? You probably cost yourself 2-3 hrs of enjoyment dealing with getting fuel, what's your time worth? As for saving time, especially when we're talking under an hour even by your given rates, that's another thing you just need to forget about. It will take the time it takes, even if it's an extra day. If you have a schedule definitely have to meet, light GA really isn't a great way to travel. You have to be able to roll with the changes and not stress out over it. Light GA scheduling is a +/- 3 day thing. Most of the time you can make your schedule +/- 3 hrs, but you have to be ready to allow for 3 days, because those times will hit if you travel a lot by GA. Just because you can go IFR doesn't always mean you should.

 

[steingar]

No I'm just pointing out the thread title that people see on search engines and while browsing the forum is completely misleading and not representative of the fuel situation at Airventure.

Freedom of speech and all that. Besides, its only the internet. Get over it.

 

[mitchellfstafford]

Well, I didn't fly pipeline at 7000', but my fuel turnarounds were typicaly under 20 minutes, often considerably under. I had one stop I'd call on unicom and the truck was waiting and ready as I taxied up. He'd fuel, I'd hand him my card, get a drink and pee, get back, check the tanks and caps, sign it and be gone in under 10 min. Is there some reason you had to climb and descend in the minimum forward distance? Not really defending the silliness of not allowing a fuel truck to be driven across the pavement to get to you (like nearly any other volunteer operated event, it becomes a moronathon when things actually require some thought), but "not making a stop" shouldn't really be a consideration for the reasons you gave. "Saving money" or "saving time" is the basis of thinking that gets people to run out of fuel while still airborne. When you fly GA you always need to consider that it will be expensive and if you pay a buck a gallon more for fuel here vs there, it's gonna cost an extra $30 or so in a 172. Man, you can't even take a date to the movies for $30, you can barely take yourself. Is it worth stressing over? You probably cost yourself 2-3 hrs of enjoyment dealing with getting fuel, what's your time worth? As for saving time, especially when we're talking under an hour even by your given rates, that's another thing you just need to forget about. It will take the time it takes, even if it's an extra day. If you have a schedule definitely have to meet, light GA really isn't a great way to travel. You have to be able to roll with the changes and not stress out over it. Light GA scheduling is a +/- 3 day thing. Most of the time you can make your schedule +/- 3 hrs, but you have to be ready to allow for 3 days, because those times will hit if you travel a lot by GA. Just because you can go IFR doesn't always mean you should.

I wasn't stressing over it at all, really. I was just stating what happened and offering my opinion. As for saving time... Flying nonstop to KC from Oshkosh vs. stopping in Dubuque and filling up probably saved about half an hour. I needed to get back by 6 pm, we were departing at 6 am. 4 hours flight time nonstop. Time was not an issue. Convenience was. As for saving money... $30 adds up pretty quickly if you're doing a lot of flying. 3 or 4 of those is a couple more hours of flying time.

As for my time. We were done for the day and had headed back to the plane to relax and change our clothes before we headed off to an awards dinner. Not really seeing how I was wasting my time or enjoyment. I wasn't climbing or descending at minimum rates either. Descending at 1000 fpm is a pretty good rate. Climbing at 500 fpm isn't bad in a 172 at gross. I was just simply stating the difficulties it took to get fuel and why we were wanting to fill up. Didn't think that would start arguments of epic proportions on here and have everybody sending messages about how their way is better and how much of an idiot I am for trying to fill my plane with fuel. Is it really that unheard of for someone to fill up their airplane on a cross country trip so they can make it nonstop? Is it that unheard of for someone to want to get fuel at a certain destination because it is $.45 per gallon cheaper? I don't think so. It's just common sense.

 

[jesse]

Freedom of speech and all that. Besides, its only the internet. Get over it.

First off - I'm not telling him he *CAN'T* do it. I'm stating my opinion regarding it being "impossible" "literally" to get fuel at Airventure. I consider that disrespectful to the thousands of volunteers that make Airventure work. It wasn't impossible he just couldn't get fuel at the exact moment he wanted.

Second off - "freedom of speech" does not apply.

And lastly - why don't you just get over it?

 

[Henning]

Is it that unheard of for someone to want to get fuel at a certain destination because it is $.45 per gallon cheaper? I don't think so. It's just common sense.

Not unheard of, but at $.45 a gallon, it would have to be a "six of one, half a dozen of the other" choice between 2 airports. On a 35 gallon fill that's $15.75 difference. Figure if your 172 costs just $60hr to operate (I don't know anyone who operates one for less, that's pretty much dirt cheap) that's 15 minutes worth. If it takes more than 15 minutes extra to save $.45 a gallon, it's no longer a savings.

As far as making a cross country non stop, sure, happens all the time, but it shouldn't be a goal, it either happens or not. Like I said, not defending what happened there, it was stupid and there should have never been an issue with them driving over to you on paved surfaces. EAA shouldn't have been involved in it.