Cross country question

[redwing]

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[iflyforpie]

It probably says 100LL because there is no other fuel available. 100 has all the same characteristics of 100LL but has more lead. It is very hard to find anymore, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Most 172s originally operated on 80/87 as the engines are not turbocharged and low compression (our 172 POH says 80/87 min).



As for parking. Some places it is obvious. Many it is not. (Rows of empty tie downs mean it is okay to park there, right....)

If there is a no-parking sign, or an aircraft registration by a parking spot, or it is blocking an access road, taxiway, or hangar; I won't park there.

But I find anymore it is better to beg forgiveness than ask permission.
They love me in Nelson....

[Hedley]

There are really only 3 fuels that you are likely to encounter:

1) 100LL (blue)
2) Jet-A
3) mogas

You can't legally use mogas in your aircraft unless you have
an STC for it. Main thing you have to worry about is an FBO
misfueling your piston aircraft with Jet-A, which will completely
destroy the engine and cause you to crash. This is not very
common with singles - it's more of a problem with larger piston
twins that say "turbo" on the engine nacelles

Years ago, there were also these:

100/130 (green)
80/87 (red)
115/145 (purple)

Everyone pretty much uses 100LL as a
substitute for all of the above.

P.S. Last time I flew through Mexico, I refuelled with honest
to goodness 100/130. I hadn't seen it in years. It was cheaper
than 100LL up here!

[old_man]

Also on a cross country, and say if you decide to stop somewhere for the night, how do you know where to park the aircraft if it is an uncontrolled field?

You can always call the operator ahead of time and just ask.

[Shiny Side Up]

What happened to the other grades of Avgas?

I only seen 100/130 once, my grandfather had a few barrels we used to put in an old Ford tractor. He appaently was just given the barrels (and quite a bit of other junk) for the work of hauling it away from someplace up north.

[Hedley]

Apparently 115/145 (purple - nasty stuff) is still in production.

You don't see it much, though. Only people running very high
cylinder pressures in their airplanes (eg extremely high boost)
need it.

[Shiny Side Up]

I've seen purple gas in lots of airplanes, though I'm pretty sure its not 115/145.

[MichaelP]

100 Octane Fuel with all of that lead for high powered WWII fighter aircraft

It is very hard to find anymore, so it shouldn't be a problem.

That's an understatement (you're not British are you?).

Probably the more relevant question is being stuck at an airstrip with no Avgas but with a automobile gas station just down the road.
Can you use it?

Nightfall is approaching, the next day's forecast is for lowering temperatures, strong winds and snow blizzards, and you don't have enough Avgas in the tanks to get to the nearest airport with Avgas available. Would you add Mogas or not?

[Hedley]

Legally ... if you've got the STC for it, sure, why not?

Technically ... what is the compression of your engine?
Does mogas have a high enough octane for it to avoid
detonation? And, is there anything else in the mogas
that might bother your aircraft's fuel system? A good
example of this is a homebuilt with a fiberglas tank -
any mogas that has alcohol in it is bad news.

[ScudRunner]

If you find some 94UL your in the future and should pick up a sports Almanac and Send it to me when you get back.

94UL

In March 2009 Teledyne Continental Motors announced that it has been testing 94UL fuel. This fuel is essentially 100LL with the tetraethyl lead omitted during the production process. The company has indicated that this may be the best solution to the lead problems inherent with 100LL. The 94UL has been shown to meet the avgas specifications, including for vapor pressure, but has not been completely tested for detonation qualities in all Continental engines or under all conditions. Flight testing has been conducted on an IO-550-B powered Beechcraft Bonanza and also ground testing on Continental O-200, 240, O-470 and O-520 engines.[37]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy8Bz8gHSE8

[Hedley]

I wish I could tell you how much I am looking
forward to running 94UL - without the lead,
the frikken exhaust valves shouldn't stick any
more due to the accumulation of lead salts on
the valve stem and guide

I don't think the C421 (with 40 inches MP
on takeoff) will like the 94UL, though!

[Hawkeye4077]

I used to put 87 Reg with no alchool all the time in the c150. It never complained.

Of course I had a STC!!! :cough cough

[Colibri]

There are some gas stations in Ottawa (Sunoco) and Vancouver (Petro-Canada) that have 94 Octane at the automotive pumps already.