We are fortunate in Sweden to have an independent supplier of both 100LL, unleaded 91/96UL and JET A-1 – Hjelmco Oil. They lease fueling stations free of charge to clubs and small airfield operators. The club/airfield is then responsible for operating the fuel station.
E.g. in Malmö/Sturup, the local club last year got two fuelling stations from Hjelmco, one for 91/96UL and one for JET A-1. Thus they could avoid the €50+VAT hookup fee from the “official” refueler.
If that is possible here, it should be even more possible in continental Europe with its larger number of airports – also where airports are more concentrated than in sparsely populated Sweden.
@Peter asked "how much would this improve if your airfield had Customs/Immigration?
Not a lot would be the answer as firstly most passing Brits call into La Rochelle LFBH rather than LFFK. The only advantage we have over them is zero landing and parking fees.
Our biggest non French fuel trade comes from Swiss and German aircraft visiting the the Atlantic coast and they either don’t need or will have already cleared customs/immigration.
“The bottom line is that GA airfields make c. €0.30 / £0.30 per litre on 100LL, which is quite a lot of money. ”
We make €0.10 per litre.
Further depression to sales of AVgas comes from the fact that many modern aircraft are more efficient and use less fuel.
Secondly the switch to diesel and Jet fuel.
Thirdly the huge switch in terms of numbers round here to mogas.
Most non based ULM or LSA owners find it cheaper on most occasions to call a taxi and nip down the supermarket with their collapsible fuel cans. 20 litres can take you a long way in some ULMs or LSA’s.
The only reason many larger (and I say that advisedly, because many are not large at all but do get the occasional CAT) still have an Avgas facility is because of the clubs or owners based on the airfield. I know of very few airfields that sell a commercial amount of Avgas, outside of this to bother selling it at all.
gallois wrote:
Most non based ULM or LSA owners find it cheaper on most occasions to call a taxi and nip down the supermarket with their collapsible fuel cans. 20 litres can take you a long way in some ULMs or LSA’s.
Wow. I would for sure have thought that the taxi would cost more than whatever is saved, plus I wouldn’t have been sure that the taxi would accept to transport filled fuel cans.
I suppose it must make sense because I have seen quite a number doing it. But perhaps they combine it with going to lunch. It’s not something I do personally so I I don’t really know the ins and outs.
The BP Agent at Inverness EGPE only takes BP Cards – no other payment method.
But Highland Aviation have a bowser, filled by the Agent, and sell to GA, any card.
Unfortunately HA is closed due to Covid-19, until late April.
