Stupid question about autogas

If I buy a 152 getting the autogas STC appeals to me a lot for the
obvious reason (economy).

What I'm wondering about is exactly how the pilots that are running
autogas are getting it to the airport. I can't imagine the typical
answer is much different than "carting it there in cans" but even a 152
is going to require 5 5-gallon cans for a single fillup! That's a lot
of cans. Is there a better way?

What I'm wondering about is exactly how the pilots that are running
autogas are getting it to the airport. I can't imagine the typical
answer is much different than "carting it there in cans" but even a 152
is going to require 5 5-gallon cans for a single fillup! That's a lot
of cans. Is there a better way?

Yep, it's called "build your own fuel truck." In my case, our fuel truck
is known as "The Mighty Grape." (For reasons which will become obvious
when you see the pix!)

Read the whole story about building our fuel truck at
http://alexisparkinn.com/fuel_truck.htm . It's paid for itself many times
over, AND it provides us with daily, reliable transportation!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

That way works well...BTW, do you burn 25 gallons every time you go to the
airport?
denny
"Paul Folbrecht" wrote in message
hlink.net...
If I buy a 152 getting the autogas STC appeals to me a lot for the
obvious reason (economy).

What I'm wondering about is exactly how the pilots that are running
autogas are getting it to the airport. I can't imagine the typical
answer is much different than "carting it there in cans" but even a 152
is going to require 5 5-gallon cans for a single fillup! That's a lot
of cans. Is there a better way?

Exactly my point. I don't know about everyone else, but I don't fly the
airplane until the "fuel-low" light comes on like I do in my car. I fill my Cherokee
(50 gal tanks) with 6 gallon cans. I find that unless I just came back from a trip and
the tanks are fairly empty, just stopping by the gas station an filling up one or two
on the way to the airport is enough. How often do you fly your 152 more than the 2-2.5
hours you can get in a two 6-gallon cans?

The fuel truck would be great if you flew long distances a lot. If you fly
infrequently or fairly locally, filling from cans isn't that bad. I highly recommend
getting a water-separating filter of some sort, however... pump gas can have a bit of
crud/water in it.

I'm assuming that the 152 qualifies for the 91-octane STC from Petersen only,
right? I've been using 93 A.K.I cargas in my 180 hp O-360 for almost a year (probably
100 hours with cross-countries and instrument training). Haven't had any troubles
(except lack of fouled plugs and more money in the wallet). I do like to keep 20% or
better in 100LL in the takeoff tank... especially in the summer. Probably not
necessary, but the extra detonation margin makes me feel a bit better.

-Cory

Dennis
O'Connor wrote:
: That way works well...BTW, do you burn 25 gallons every time you go to the
: airport?
: denny
: "Paul Folbrecht" wrote in message
: hlink.net...
: If I buy a 152 getting the autogas STC appeals to me a lot for the
: obvious reason (economy).
:
: What I'm wondering about is exactly how the pilots that are running
: autogas are getting it to the airport. I can't imagine the typical
: answer is much different than "carting it there in cans" but even a 152
: is going to require 5 5-gallon cans for a single fillup! That's a lot
: of cans. Is there a better way?
:



--
************************************************** ***********************
* The prime directive of Linux: *
* - learn what you don't know, *
* - teach what you do. *
* (Just my 20 USm$) *
************************************************** ***********************

The fuel truck would be great if you flew long distances a lot.
If you fly
infrequently or fairly locally, filling from cans isn't that bad. I
highly recommend
getting a water-separating filter of some sort, however... pump gas can
have a bit of
crud/water in it.

Our Cherokee 235 is burning 24 gph on takeoff, and around 14 gph in
cruise -- we use a LOT of gas, and do a lot of cross-country flights.

Needless to say, filling 84 gallon gas tanks from 6 gallon cans was a ROYAL
pain in the butt! Not to mention incredibly dangerous. Not to mention
having your nose 10 inches from the gas as you're pouring.

The Mighty Grape has a water separating filter, and can pump the gas *out*
faster than I can pump it *in* at the gas station. It's been a real
Godsend, and has saved me thousands of dollars.

AND -- best of all -- Atlas (our plane) runs far better on car gas than
avgas. No more fouled plugs! :-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Amen brother, amen.. Fat Albert used to eat plugs for breakfast (carbs,
can't lean enough on taxi) until I switched him to the breakfast of
champions...

The mechanic doing the annual pulls a bottom plug (I've run the mogas out
and topped with 100 lousy lead, by then), peers at nearly pristine
porcelain, glares at me, and demands, "You been running that *^&$%#! car gas
in here?"
I do my best offended routine, "Who, me?"
He mumbles, and slaps the plug into the caddy...

denny

"Jay Honeck" wrote AND -- best of all -- Atlas
(our plane) runs far better on car gas than
avgas. No more fouled plugs! :-)

On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 04:32:10 +0000, Paul Folbrecht wrote:

answer is much different than "carting it there in cans" but even a 152
is going to require 5 5-gallon cans for a single fillup! That's a lot
of cans. Is there a better way?

I've never run my plane out of fuel, so I never have to carry the full
amount of fuel back to the airport. You'll find that 3 cans will do fine.

I use (3) 5-gal red plastic containers. It's pretty easy for me to dump them
in--even with a high wing. At my field, I can drive right to my plane, so
carrying them is not an issue. Since my tanks always have a mix of avgas and
autofuel, I never need more than 15 gals at a time. I have it down to a pretty
simple routine. I buy my avgas at a nearby field's self-serve station using a
Phillips credit card, where members of the local pilot's assn get a
discount--currently avgas there is $2.47. Auto fuel is running around $1.45.

www.Rosspilot.com

Rosspilot wrote:
: I use (3) 5-gal red plastic containers.

I the People's Republic of Massachusetts, the legal limit for transporting
gasoline in portable tanks is ONE tank of FIVE gallons or less capacity.
A portable tank is any tank not connected to the vehicle's fuel system.
Different rules apply for diesel oil. To get kerosene it is required that
you show ID and sign a logbook at the gas station (!).
--
Aaron Coolidge (N9376J)

"Paul Folbrecht" wrote in message
hlink.net...
If I buy a 152 getting the autogas STC appeals to me a lot for the
obvious reason (economy).

What I'm wondering about is exactly how the pilots that are running
autogas are getting it to the airport. I can't imagine the typical
answer is much different than "carting it there in cans" but even a 152
is going to require 5 5-gallon cans for a single fillup! That's a lot
of cans. Is there a better way?


I have seen this in the back of a pickup: a 50-gallon barrel with 12-volt
pump from Northern Handyman, a retracting grounding cable, and a gas nozzle
just like you see at the gas station.