Fuel Ferry Calculator

[Seth]

This was over on Red Board and it's a great little tool.  

 

Fill in the information and it'll let you know if it makes sense to fill up on your field or another.  You can do the math yourself, but this is a free website the guy made that is simply a calculator.

 

http://www.ferryfuelcalculator.com/

 

 

 

-Seth

[Mooneymite]

Great tool, but more often than not, I end up buying "guilt fuel"....

 

     That's when you buy fuel because you feel guilty landing, parking, using the bathroom and not buying any fuel.

[StinkBug]

That just reaffirmed the math I've done in the past. I have an airport 28nm from my home base where the fuel is currently $1.20 cheaper than I'm paying. Problem is for the .6hrs of hobbs time to get there and back I have to buy at least 25 gallons just to break even.

 

Worth it if I'm headed that direction on a long XC and have time to spare though.

[1964-M20E]

I fly to get there extra fuel stops cost time. Time is valuable no mater who you are.  We all have a fixed amount and when it's gone it's gone.  With 54 gallons total on my plane the most I will be buying at any airport is 44 gallons.  I will plan my destination such that I arrive at the most economical airport I can i.e avoiding the ones hat charge $8 a gallon or high tie down fees.

 

When I first got my plane and started flying long cross country flights I would sometimes play this game but in most cases all I needed was 30 gallons or less and at $1 difference per gallon I figured it was not worth the extra effort so I'd just fly to my destination and pay the extra $30 for the fuel and not worry about it.

 

I have not been on a long enough trip yet that required a fuel stop but that one is coming up in August when I go to Baltimore.  I will plan a proper stop with the best fuel price.