Justin Gombos wrote:

On 2007-05-22, Newps wrote:

The real downside was the cost to convert. They wanted $80K which
is a price nobody will pay because the break even point is still way
too far into the future.


So the question is: where is the break even point? If you account for
the reduced maintenance costs,



Nobody knows that yet. Too many different technologies have come and
gone promising lower costs. When the diesel has proven itself to cost
less in the field I will believe it. Until then it's pure speculation.




and you make your own biodiesel at
~$1/gal., would you say the break even point is acceptable?



I don't know. First off putting $80K into a $50K airplane won't happen
for that reason alone. Second the guy who has $80K to put into a 182
isn't the kind of guy who homebrews his own biodiesel. Simple fact of
the matter is $80K is a deal breaker. Get it down to $40K, about the
same as putting a big engine in a 182, and then you've got something.
But at $80K you won't have any market penetration at all. And really at
$40K look how many 300 HP 550's are in 182's now. I wouldn't call it
rare but it's still a fairly small percentage.