Deleted

My thoughts exactly.

+1

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Flying is getting cheaper Ford. I just got my first "Canadian" annual done on the 185 and it was the least I have spend on an annual in years. At this rate I will be able to afford to start drinking something better than Boones Farm.

Steve

There is affordable flying to be had, but it takes more cleverness and more aircraft choices than we've been used to for the last 60 years.

We all just have to take a good look at our realistic mission for what we do and how often. IMHO, the short version is that we should not be driving around in a PPONK GTSIO-520 triple intercooled turbocharged 185 except when we need to. For SOME of us, 90% of the time we go flying the mission could be accomplished in an 85 horse Chief, or even a single seat Rotax 447 powered RANS S-4. For SOME of us, every single time we fly the mission requires the big fire breathing 185.

But probably MOST people fall somewhere in the middle. So believe it or not, as fuel prices go up, it may save significant money to have more than one airplane available. This may mean building a small single seat experimental to fly for fun, and keep your 4 or 6 seat airplane just for when you need it... or it may mean European style flying clubs, or it may mean fractional ownership.

I know this sounds offensive to people, but don't shoot the messenger.

Actually, EZ, I agree with you. Aviation has entered a new era, it seems, and many didn't notice.

I recently decided to downsize to a two seat airplane largely because the vast majority of flying I've done recently has been solo or occasional flights with one person. Moving to a smaller plane, with lower fuel burn and the capability of burning auto fuel makes sense for me, at least. It's slow, and it does't carry much, but I think it'll fit my mission the majority of the time, and that's good enough for me.

Oh, and cancel my order for the EZFlap device....this plane doesn't have flaps

MTV

My approach is to consider every dollar of mine that is taken against my will, working for interests other than my own, ending up in the hands of self serving bureaucrat criminals, and make certain to spend more than that on the things that make my life better. This perspective makes the airplane habit seem rather inexpensive.

On a recent trip report, I saw the planes involved being refueled on a concrete ramp using the on field bulk tanks, just swipe the credit card and you're done! Must be nice, BUT, nice but expensive. And easy, way to easy.

As a small example, on my recent trip to the Oregon coast, I stopped at Creswell Or., where they of course sell only av gas. The nice lady cleaning the FBO searched for the loaner car keys for about 10 minutes, while the sun set closer to the horizon A few phone calls later and finally, hauling my two Bushwheel fuel bags, I made the 3 mile drive to the closet gas station. Being in Oregon of course, I was no longer competent to pump my own fuel....so after waiting for the kid to finish his last customer, I gave him my credit card and we got ready to fuel. BUT, it seems this station only takes debit cards, not credit cards, I have never came across that situation before of course my card is an oddball company backed by a nothing bank (VISA/Wells Fargo)!

So....back in the car, wait through a couple red lights, and the next station down the road gets the job done. $3.90 a gallon, premium, 10% ethanol. I got the same lights on the way back, and finally well over an hour after touchdown I am back on my way. And yes, I contributed 5 bucks to the loaner car fund.

From Pacific City my only stop was at Emmett ID, and after reading the somewhat obscure instructions (at first anyway) as to who to call to find out the combo for the lock box for the car keys, I headed out. Now the Emmett strip is seemingly part of the city golf course, and in my haste to beat the again setting sun I almost creamed a golf cart on the way out. They are almost on the ramp, right on the edges anyway...and while the strip was dead the golf course was busy as hell. I had (again) neglected to scope out the best route to the closet gas station from the air, so had to ask, and got bad instructions. I found it but went a bit out of the way, taking up more time. Now of course being competent again to pump my own fuel, it went quicker, and after completing the fuel transfer back at the plane (and picking several goatheads out of the tires) I took off. Another 5 bucks for the car (a great deal, I have no problem at all with that).Then I realized that the official sunset time and my GPS enroute time was exactly the same, 3 hrs to go with no time to waste. My place gets shaded early so darker sooner. Light headwinds but headwinds nonetheless didn't help. Long story short, I closed the hangar door back at home and it was DARK, so I had a good damn reason for almost taking out that golf cart, I don't land my strip in the dark, just saying. It would have really sucked to have RON'd as I had an early crane job Monday AM, two of them actually back to back.

Nonetheless, I have no plans to quit using mogas, I have saved THOUSANDS over the years, and to tell the truth, the challenge of refueling on a XC is for me anyways, part of the "fun". The fact that the Rotax doesn't care much for avgas makes the decision easy. The important thing is it has made flying much more affordable for me, so I can fly more, and use more gas and save more money etc. etc.

MTV: my bulk tank at home is filled with Montana straight gas I get from a local wholesaler, it seems Montana is somewhat of a holdout in that respect, almost all premium is straight gas up there I think?

It's really nothing more than a matter of how hard do you want to work to support it. For us it's going E-LSA. That's enough right now.

Avgas is $8.90 where I live. MOGAS is $5 and change.

Avgas is $8.90 where I live. MOGAS is $5 and change

YIKES

Avgas is just under $8 where I live, and ethanol free premium, delivered in bulk is $4.50. Easy choice for me.

I think Float Flyer deleted his post before he had any responses. Hate think how many he would have gotten had he not deleted his post. Hey courier guy, they sell mogas at the airport in Payette that is about 20 miles from Emmett. Could have gotten you home 45 minutes sooner.


Tim

If a 29 year old redneck can afford to fly a 180 Skalywagon then it must not be the end of the world...what really puts the hurt on me besides the petro is the cost of certified parts and motors. If there was an owner maintenance category in US I'd be in it!

Of course I can't afford a home, but i can afford a couple hangars n motorcycles on the side...barely afford a woman (she is learning to fly n sympathetic to my dirtbag lifestyle).

We used to have a joke back in the day: "What do u call a snowboarder without a girlfriend? -HOMELESS

At one point I got so frustrated as it seemed impossible to get ahead and afford all this aviation on a way less than 6 figure income. The thing is flying has become like breathing, I just can't live without it. If I gotta live in a hangar to make it happen then life is still really damn good

What is actually required in parts and paperwork to convert a 0-360 for mogas?

How much does this conversion typically cost?

Mau Mau, google Peterson auto gas STC or the EAA site. They both sell the STC but I forget the price right off the top of my head. $1.00-2.00/HP I think. Some planes require nothing more than a couple of stickers by the fuel tank and maybe a metal tag on the engine, it varies with the application. It also depends on what nomenclature your engine is. They list which engines are covered on their site. Not all O-360's are elligible. Seems the one's with FI might be inelligible. Also with either one you can NOT use fuel with Alcohol (ethanol) and I believe some of the O-360's, the STC might also stipulate 91 octane. Like I mentioned...google is your friend.