(Hankal) wrote in message ...
I am filing a flight plan 750 NM.
I have 3 fuel stops appr venly spaced. I have 48 gallon usable and burn 11 gph.
I could make this trip with only 2 stops, but choose 3. I save about $100.00 by
landing at places where fuel is less that the big airports.
Many of my pilot friends tell me that I am crazy (which may be) Once airborne
they tell me they do not land unless they need fuel.
What is you opinion? Am I to frugual or conservative.
Hank

From the fuel consumption and usable, I'm guessing you fly a Cherokee
180/Archer? If so, you can probably do better than 11gph by flying
high and leaning aggressively. On long xc's flown at 8-11k ft, I plan
for 10gph and end up getting better.

If the weather is good VFR, I would fly the 750 with a single refuel
in the middle of the trip. Use airnav.com to pick the cheapest fuel
stop.

If the weather is IFR, there are lots of decisions to be made as
Cherokees have poor IFR range. The safe bet is to make two fuel
stops. Given the right set of winds, destination forecast,
destination ILS, I would still make it with a single fuel stop.

As far as planning fuel stops. If I am not in a hurry, I will go
pretty far out of my way to patronize an FBO with cheaper fuel. For a
while Basler Flight Service at Oshkosh had $1.60 fuel, while my home
field in the Chicago suburbs (3CK) was $2.85. A few times I waited
until I had 20 gallons left, then made the 50 minute run to Basler.
While I didn't save any money, it was as close to a free flight as you
can get.

Filling at homebase: (starting with 20gallons)
30 gallons to full * $2.85 = $85.50

Filling at Basler (starting with 10 gallons after 10gph on 1hr trip)
40 gallons to full * $1.60 = $64.00
plus 10 gallons to top off back @ 3ck ($28.50) = $92.50 total

So, the trip to OSH and back cost me $7.00 more than just filling the
plane at my homebase. Hard to beat that!

-Nathan