Cost of gas is beginning to hurt

It cost me more than $40 at Costco yesterday to fill my gas tank. I
figure it costs me at least $10 in gas every time I drive to the
airport -- and I have a hybrid car. I am beginning to wonder how long
some of the younger instructors can keep this up.
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

I'm fortunate in not having to own a car.

What's kinda weird to me is the tendency to put ever larger engines in
4-place aircraft.

Mooney defined efficiency (and pretty much continues to do so) but
there seems to be a big market for 300+ horsepower engines.

I suppose if you're laying out $400K for an airplane and 4000 a year
on insurance, an additional 5-8 gph isn't a big deal.

On 2007-04-18 09:06:49 -0700, Paul kgyy said:

I'm fortunate in not having to own a car.

What's kinda weird to me is the tendency to put ever larger engines in
4-place aircraft.

Mooney defined efficiency (and pretty much continues to do so) but
there seems to be a big market for 300+ horsepower engines.

I suppose if you're laying out $400K for an airplane and 4000 a year
on insurance, an additional 5-8 gph isn't a big deal.

Actually, it is a big deal. I know lots of people who own multi-million
dollar aircraft. They all complain about the price of fuel. Without
exception. No one seems to think it is pocket change.
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

On Apr 18, 10:18 am, C J Campbell
wrote:
On 2007-04-18 09:06:49 -0700, Paul kgyy said:

I'm fortunate in not having to own a car.

What's kinda weird to me is the tendency to put ever larger engines in
4-place aircraft.

Mooney defined efficiency (and pretty much continues to do so) but
there seems to be a big market for 300+ horsepower engines.

I suppose if you're laying out $400K for an airplane and 4000 a year
on insurance, an additional 5-8 gph isn't a big deal.

Actually, it is a big deal. I know lots of people who own multi-million
dollar aircraft. They all complain about the price of fuel. Without
exception. No one seems to think it is pocket change.
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

Just wait until they jack up the fuel tax to $0.70 a gallon and then
listen to the complaints! There will be a lot more planes parked on
the ramp and fewer in the air once this tax increase goes through.

"C J Campbell" wrote in message
news:2007041808545031729-christophercampbell@hotmailcom...
It cost me more than $40 at Costco yesterday to fill my gas tank. I figure
it costs me at least $10 in gas every time I drive to the airport -- and I
have a hybrid car. I am beginning to wonder how long some of the younger
instructors can keep this up.


Just as the Evil Bush was dictating the cost of gas before the election, he
and Halliburton are jacking the price now that the election is over and
done. It's their retribution for losing the elections, you know.

On 4/18/2007 1:12:25 PM, wrote:

Just wait until they jack up the fuel tax to $0.70 a gallon and then
listen to the complaints! There will be a lot more planes parked on
the ramp and fewer in the air once this tax increase goes through.


If this tax does go through, expect the number of unfilled Angel Flight
missions (failure of a volunteer pilot to accept the flight) to sharply
increase.

--
Peter

On 2007-04-18 10:27:45 -0700, "Matt Barrow"
said:


"C J Campbell" wrote in message
news:2007041808545031729-christophercampbell@hotmailcom...
It cost me more than $40 at Costco yesterday to fill my gas tank. I figure
it costs me at least $10 in gas every time I drive to the airport -- and I
have a hybrid car. I am beginning to wonder how long some of the younger
instructors can keep this up.


Just as the Evil Bush was dictating the cost of gas before the election, he
and Halliburton are jacking the price now that the election is over and
done. It's their retribution for losing the elections, you know.

Oooookayyyy. Didn't know the President (or Halliburton) was able to do
that. I thought Nancy Pelosi was running things now (she said so on
CNN, so it must be true). We have another gas tax hike coming in July
here in Washington, but that was decided by a Democratic controlled
legislation in Olympia.
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

C J Campbell wrote:
It cost me more than $40 at Costco yesterday to fill my gas tank. I
figure it costs me at least $10 in gas every time I drive to the airport
-- and I have a hybrid car. I am beginning to wonder how long some of
the younger instructors can keep this up.

You live 60+ miles from the airport? You just need to move closer to
the airport!!

Matt

On 2007-04-18 14:44:21 -0700, Matt Whiting said:

C J Campbell wrote:
It cost me more than $40 at Costco yesterday to fill my gas tank. I
figure it costs me at least $10 in gas every time I drive to the
airport -- and I have a hybrid car. I am beginning to wonder how long
some of the younger instructors can keep this up.

You live 60+ miles from the airport? You just need to move closer to
the airport!!

Matt

As the crow flies, it is only about 15 miles. But the road is really,
really crooked.

Hey, the house is free. It is in the woods, on the beach, with its own
creek. I can walk out my front door and pick all the oysters and clams
I want. Seals and whales play out in front, and eagles nest in my yard.
Sure, it is ten miles to the nearest town. But there are compensations.
OTOH, I notice that bears have been clawing up some of the trees in the
back yard...
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

C J Campbell wrote:
On 2007-04-18 14:44:21 -0700, Matt Whiting said:

C J Campbell wrote:

It cost me more than $40 at Costco yesterday to fill my gas tank. I
figure it costs me at least $10 in gas every time I drive to the
airport -- and I have a hybrid car. I am beginning to wonder how long
some of the younger instructors can keep this up.


You live 60+ miles from the airport? You just need to move closer to
the airport!!

Matt


As the crow flies, it is only about 15 miles. But the road is really,
really crooked.

Hey, the house is free. It is in the woods, on the beach, with its own
creek. I can walk out my front door and pick all the oysters and clams I
want. Seals and whales play out in front, and eagles nest in my yard.
Sure, it is ten miles to the nearest town. But there are compensations.
OTOH, I notice that bears have been clawing up some of the trees in the
back yard...
Sounds great! Hmmmm, complaining about $10 for gas to the airport from
the FREE house. Rent around here is something like $1,500 a month, how
many times could we drive to the airport...