Jet Fuel, $11.37/gal in NY and other rambling aviation thoughts.

[Cujet]

I'm currently at SWF Atlantic Aviation, and with Jet-A over $11 (and a 760 gallon minimum), we've not been flying at all. Our operations have come to a screeching halt. While you can still find Jet-A for under $7 locally, those locations are inappropriate or impossible for our mighty Gulfstream G600. Which by the way, I believe is less fuel efficient than our previous G550 or G650.

The thing is, these FBO's have a "racket" with their "minimum fuel" or ramp fee requirements. The ramp fee, is so absurd, purchasing fuel is the only real option. Unfortunately, going from SWF to HPN to MVY and back in one day, are all short runs and we end up with more and more fuel at each airport. Sometimes we simply can't take on that much fuel, and at the end of a working day, we might have to pay the absurd ramp fees.

I have a gut feeling that this is the kind of thing could end our flight department (if so I will retire). It's not lost on me, they were absolutely glorious years. I'm a very fortunate human being to lived in this time and been involved in something so cool, with such amazing aircraft. Sitting here in the office and thinking about it brings a big smile to my face and a warm feeling inside.

Just read a report that fuel prices could actually double from the absurd level they are at now. Talk about bringing things to a grinding halt.

You guys might like the altitude in the pic below.

 

[eljefino]

Ouchie!

 

[bullwinkle]

Are all GA airports like that? Or is it just the big commercial airports?

 

[wwillson]

That's up there where few will ever fly, very cool.

 

[Cujet]

Are all GA airports like that? Or is it just the big commercial airports?

The NY airports are notorious for "mafia-like" behavior. I really despise dealing with them. When I need line service to assist me, such as to pull an aircraft out for a compressor wash, the line-guys have an unspoken minimum cash "reward" of $50 or $60. Otherwise they sit on their chairs, drinking coffee and utterly refuse to do their job. Infuriating.

To make matters works, that cash "reward" is unknown to customers. Give them $40, when they want $60 and nothing happens, you only get well rehearsed excuses as to why they can't pull the plane out. Such as "we got busy", or "that cargo plane came in".

Yes, they are nice enough when the $100 bills are flowing. But good god, NY is tough to take.

 

[Cujet]

That's up there where few will ever fly, very cool.

And yes, the cockpit side window lower surface is curved. That's not lens distortion.

 

[RooflessVW]

Best thing we did was refurbish an old fuel farm for our helipad.

Jet A is $6ish around here. We pay less through our fuel contract. It's less than #2 fuel, I do know that.

 

[wpod]

right when I was going to buy a Gulfstream I can't afford the gas !

 

[dkryan]

51,000 feet and Mach .88!

Yep, life is good.

Is your “gouge” experience NY only or have you had similar experiences elsewhere?

 

[Cujet]

Is your “gouge” experience NY only or have you had similar experiences elsewhere?

NY, NJ and sometimes in CA. But CA really is different. They just seem lazy, not crooked.

 

[JeffKeryk]

NY, NJ and sometimes in CA. But CA really is different. They just seem lazy, not crooked.

We are just laid back... Take it easy, man... Surf's UP!

 

[MRC01]

$11 jet-A is crazy. Avgas (100LL) usually costs a bit more than Jet-A, and has hit $7 in the Seattle area (plus or minus). It's the most expensive I've ever seen, but my little bug-squasher burning only about 8 gph it doesn't affect my operating cost nearly as much as it does for bigger faster airplanes.

 

[GON]

I read an article that said Heber Valley airport had the highest fuel costs (pre-pandemic) in CONUS. Stated that there were no reasonable alternate airports for all the big shots going to Park City; the vendor with the exclusive contract to provide fuel at the airport is printing money selling fuel.

Heber Valley Airport:
Russ McDonald Field​

Located 1 mile south of Heber City, Utah in the beautiful Heber Valley, the airport is a short 20 minute drive to Park City, Deer Valley, and the Sundance resort.

 

[Exhaustgases]

That is the small operator price. We all help finance the cheap Jet A for the airlines, with our over priced fuel. If airlines paid that for fuel a ticket price for a 500 mile trip would cost $10,000.

 

[Astro14]

That is the small operator price. We all help finance the cheap Jet A for the airlines, with our over priced fuel. If airlines paid that for fuel a ticket price for a 500 mile trip would cost $10,000.

Nobody is financing, subsidizing, or supporting fuel for airlines.

Our cost per gallon has doubled and our fuel costs are expected to be up (not total, this is just the increase) $11 billion year over year.

That’s just one airline.

Fuel costs in New York are so bad, that I tankered (carried extra that wasn’t needed) nearly 30,000# in from Zurich last week. Then did the same from London.

If you’re getting cheaper fuel in Switzerland and the UK than you are in the US, the market is way out of whack.

 

[c502cid]

Nobody is financing, subsidizing, or supporting fuel for airlines.

Our cost per gallon has doubled and our fuel costs are expected to be up (not total, this is just the increase) $11 billion year over year.

That’s just one airline.

Fuel costs in New York are so bad, that I tankered (carried extra that wasn’t needed) nearly 30,000# in from Zurich last week. Then did the same from London.

If you’re getting cheaper fuel in Switzerland and the UK than you are in the US, the market is way out of whack.

Ticket prices are certainly reflecting that too! My boss told me yesterday to make sure every trip counts.

 

[Astro14]

Airline ticket prices are up about 35% this year.

Which makes sense, since fuel is about 1/3 of operating costs and the price of jet fuel has doubled.

 

[Cujet]

Airline ticket prices are up about 35% this year.

Which makes sense, since fuel is about 1/3 of operating costs and the price of jet fuel has doubled.

This is a bit rough for me, as I have to pay for my own airline travel between FL and NY. I've noticed that last minute tickets are well into the unaffordable range now. I don't really know, but I think my last raise was in 2012, or so. I don't expect my employer will be feeling generous due to our stock losing 3/4+ of it's value.

 

[Cujet]

Fuel costs in New York are so bad, that I tankered (carried extra that wasn’t needed) nearly 30,000# in from Zurich last week. Then did the same from London.

That always puts things in perspective. We can only hold 42,500 pounds of fuel. You tanker nearly that much! My late AA 777-787 buddy used to say that he could grind up the Gulfstream and put in in the fuel tanks of the 777 and not notice! I guess when you can carry 350,000 pounds of fuel, a 94,000 pound airplane is chump change.

 

[wpod]

What does the gulf stream Bathroom look like? I have certain priorities.