Current state of Seaplane fuel

In rec.aviation.owning Drew Dalgleish wrote:
: I don't doubt that's true but just how many FAA inspectors are out
: sitting on docks waiting for planes to fuel up? I think I understand
: the problems with alcohol enough that I would just use what's
: available.

... including the fact that the alcohol and its related byproducts and
additives are known to destroy certain carb floats, rubber hoses, seals, gaskets, and
attack aluminum? There is a reason not to run gasoline with alcohol in aircraft
beyond the simple, "It hasn't been tested." In many cases it *has* been tested and
*has* been found to be destructive to fuel system components.

-Cory

--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss, Ph.D., PPSEL-IA *
* Electrical Engineering *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

Drew Dalgleish wrote:
On 28 Aug 2006 15:25:02 -0700, "Robert M. Gary"
wrote:
I don't doubt that's true but just how many FAA inspectors are out
sitting on docks waiting for planes to fuel up? I think I understand
the problems with alcohol enough that I would just use what's
available.

For a long cross country I've wondered what would happen if you use
alcohol fuels enroute and then ran avgas for the last 30 minutes at
your destination if you'd run enough of the alcohol out of the system
that it doesn't eat your airplane's fuel system.

I've seen sea plane pilots fill the back of their truck with avgas from
the airport and truck it down to the pond.

-Robert

On 30 Aug 2006 16:41:08 -0700, "Robert M. Gary"
wrote:


Drew Dalgleish wrote:
On 28 Aug 2006 15:25:02 -0700, "Robert M. Gary"
wrote:
I don't doubt that's true but just how many FAA inspectors are out
sitting on docks waiting for planes to fuel up? I think I understand
the problems with alcohol enough that I would just use what's
available.

For a long cross country I've wondered what would happen if you use
alcohol fuels enroute and then ran avgas for the last 30 minutes at
your destination if you'd run enough of the alcohol out of the system
that it doesn't eat your airplane's fuel system.

I've seen sea plane pilots fill the back of their truck with avgas from
the airport and truck it down to the pond.

-Robert

That's exactly what I'm talking about I've used fuel with alcohol but
I wouldn't leave it sitting in my tanks.

Robert M. Gary wrote:

In most of the U.S. "permium" fuel is illegal in aircraft because the
U.S. adds alcohol to the fuel to make the corn growers happy.

That's a bit of overstatement. Gasoline sold in most of the areas of
U.S. are alcohol free, because the corn growers's lobby has been so
successful that they managed to legislate their product into areas
requiring oxygenated gasoline and that essentially used up all the
domestic ethanol production capacity. Wholesale ethanol price has been
higher than wholesale gasoline price, even with the subsidy, the last
few months. Domesticly made fuel were supposed to save us money, for
Pete's sake!

I think less than 20% of U.S. population living in areas where
oxygenated gasoline are required, and it covers less than 15% of the
area. Oil companies will be foolish to put this expensive stuff in
gasoline where it's not mandated.

M wrote:
Robert M. Gary wrote:
I think less than 20% of U.S. population living in areas where
oxygenated gasoline are required, and it covers less than 15% of the
area. Oil companies will be foolish to put this expensive stuff in
gasoline where it's not mandated.

That's useful to know only if you carry a current guide to fuel
formulas with you. I know of no such guide. I'm not sure how you would
know what fuel was safe.