I have a question, has any one else had a problem filling five gallon gas cans at an FBO with 100LL? Evidently the man from DOT busted a FBO in Tucson for filling five gallon gas cans that he claimed were for his boat. (I talked to the man that got the citation) After the gas cans were filled a citation and a thousand dollar fine were issued. The DOT claims that a boat is registered and road tax applies to its use and all vehicles with any type of registration. Now no FBO in Tucson will allow five gallon gas can or any other portable fuel tank to be filled. What is up with this?

172heavy wrote:I have a question, has any one else had a problem filling five gallon gas cans at an FBO with 100LL? Evidently the man from DOT busted a FBO in Tucson for filling five gallon gas cans that he claimed were for his boat. (I talked to the man that got the citation) After the gas cans were filled a citation and a thousand dollar fine were issued. The DOT claims that a boat is registered and road tax applies to its use and all vehicles with any type of registration. Now no FBO in Tucson will allow five gallon gas can or any other portable fuel tank to be filled. What is up with this?

I don't get it. A plane is registered too.. Did this fool pay the 1000.00 fine?

My gut feeling is you might be a troll.

I ran into this at Scottsbluff NE. They were out of fuel where my plane was and I drove up there to get some. Will we need to buy from a fuel company for airplanes not at an airport?

Here in South Dakota I occasionally fill a 50 gallon field service unit with 100ll at an FBO pump to take back to the farm for my plane to keep on hand. I once questioned the "Road Tax" being applied but was informed that it is not a road tax, it is a motor fuel tax. It is collected and used for roads, state recreational trails, boat ramps and access areas and airport construction and improvements by the state. Therefore aircraft operators and boaters must pay it also. As a farmer though, I can request a refund on the state's fuel tax for what is used off road for raising crops or construction on private land but road construction contractors operating in the state right of ways being paid by tax dollars must pay the tax. In regards to not being able to fill a can or other container from an FBO's pump, that doesn't fly here. No tax is dodged by using avgas since aircraft use pays also and the tax is already in the price.

I buy several hundred gallons of premium mo gas every year, and pay the road tax. When I file my taxes my accountant has form that gets me back the road tax, all on the up and up too.

Looks like each states interpretation of motor fuel tax for aviation varies. Idaho's sounds like a true road tax if you can get it refunded for aircraft use.

Its been a problem for years, and 100LL is absolutely never to ever be used in anything but an aircraft. Most FBO have the good sense of using an N number when filling gas cans .

Yea, it's because 100LL still has lead in it, and aircraft are the only exception allowed to use it.

We used to use 100LL in our dirt track race car..just went to the FBO and bought it in 5 gal cans. People do the same thing at our local FBO. I burn 100LL and Premium no lead purchased at the local COOP. Keep track of the gallons I use in the airplane and get a refund on the premium no lead. Keep track of the gallons I use in the tractors, lawnmowers, and off road stuff and get a second but separate refund for that. Don't know about use in boats, but I would think they are off road and one could get a rebate. Solution: don't tell anyone you are purchasing the 100LL for a boat..you are filling an off airport cub....if asked!
HC

When bringing back a J-3 from Colorado, we got yelled at in Kansas for filling three 5 gallon cans of aviation gas that we had on the roof of a jeep. After telling them it was for the cub, they calmed down.

"The DOT claims that a boat is registered and road tax applies to its use and all vehicles with any type of registration".

I'd question that citation and ask to see it to see if it's real.

That boat may be registered but that lake or river should be exempt from road tax seeing as if it was a road it'd put one hell of a rash on that hull right? Road taxes are for state, local and federal roads, bridges, via ducts ect. I fuel alot of plastic jugs and pour them into my 55 ga drum in the hanger. I mix about 3:1 mogas:avegas and 4 oz Marvil per 10 ga of that mix. If it's a card lock 24 hr fuel, I'd fuel when they're not there. You ever notice most places don't post the tax breakdown on the fuels they sell?

I burn almost 100% car gas in the airplane, and every three months file a form with the WA dept of licensing to get a refund for my flying gas. They refund the road tax charged, minus sales tax and minus aviation tax. The refund amount has ranged from a low of less than 1 cent per gallon, to almost 10 cents. That low figure was just a year or two ago, I was gonna quit bothering when all of a sudden the amount went way up. I figured out that when car gas is really expensive, the sales tax is what makes the difference between the high & low refund amount.
8 or 10 cents a gallon doesn't sound like much, but I fly alot so it's usually worth the hassle. The last check I got was for the three months of summer and it was for 60 bucks. Not too bad-- pays for most of that next hundred dollar hamburger anyway.

Eric

Eric, are you taking the alcohol out of the car gas, or are you able to buy it without alcohol? Do you get the varnish and yellow goop buildup in your fuel system, or does the car gas burn clean?

I am considering making a tank system to water-wash the alcohol out of car gas here in Los Angeles... the municipal airport here charges $4.50+ for 100LL and the gas station across the street is $2.79.

But I have heard both extremes many times, that you can't leave car gas in the tanks because it will varnish up everything, and I've heard that car gas doesn't create any problems at all. Not thrilled with overhauling the carburetor every year, or having varnish build up on fuel system parts.

Bill