Is the US Mogas STC applicable to an N-Reg while it is in Europe?
AVGAS = 2.25 / liter
Mogas = 1.30 / liter
Doing the math isn’t rocket science… 3.78 liters to a gallon with a 10gph burn rate:
10gph * (2.25 * 3.78 l) = 85 / Hr
10gph * (1.30 * 3.78 l) = 49 / Hr
That’s 36 / Hr cheaper for Mogas, roughly 40% off on every tank…
In 100 Hours, the cost of flying the Atlantic is paid for (let alone the experience).
If the A/C is burning 15/hr, its obviously more absurd, and VAT is paid for in a few short years.
With the slow death of AVGAS coming, it seems like a wise decision to get a dual-fuel A/C.
As I see it, there are two scenarios:
1) An N-Reg aircraft visiting Europe
2) An N-Reg aircraft based in Europe
I’m more curious about scenario #2, the aircraft being based in Europe, but kept on N-Reg…
I’ve already looked up the Mogas STC’s available for Europe (not too many there…) and if it is possible to operate on FAA rules (thus use Mogas here) it would actually justify the cost of flying an N-Reg with the Mogas STC over here…
Is the US Mogas STC applicable to an N-Reg while it is in Europe?
Of course.
It doesn’t matter where the aircraft is flying, or based.
The thing is that, on the wider scale, mogas is not usually available at airfields, except to some degree in Germany, Austria, Czech, Italy, and to very little degree everywhere else. And it doesn’t usually cost only 1.30€.
On the D-reg., most aircraft with 160 hp or less can get a Mogas STC (if not originally type certified for such).
Thanks a lot for your quick reply.
As I’m based in Austria, availability isn’t a problem. Nearly every airfield I’ve been to here has Mogas readily available, and it is typically cheap.
In this case, hangar space is included with a membership to the local club, which makes hangaring the plane as cheap as a song, and everyone loves Mogas here, so there’s plenty readily available for cheap (with an additional discount for club members ;). With long-range tanks, it is possible to fly to a destination 400nm away and back again without having to refuel.
To be specific, I’m thinking about a Be-35 with an IO-470 in it. 14gph at 160 kts is nothing to cry about, and with the massive price disparity between AVGAS and Mogas, it is like flying 160kts on 9gph. Early model V-tails are becoming really cheap as the new generation of retirees all choose newer planes to fly. There are some great deals out there, and I’m considering flying one over for myself.
I want to fly the Atlantic someday, and having long-range tanks with 80gal of fuel puts any reasonable transatlantic route easily within reach.
For a $40k bird, and 20% tax ($8k), plus the cost of ferrying, $5k (is it really a cost if it is fun?) means I’ll end up paying $53k. With a 10% conversion from Euro to $, That’s 47k Euros, and I’ll have a mogas-burning Bo in my backyard, costing me 40% less in fuel on every flight.
With long-range tanks, it makes storing some AVGAS for takeoff fairly easy. (safety purposes).
The beauty of a dual-fuel A/C is that one isn’t dependent on the Mogas, it is just a nice, cheap option. After crunching some numbers, it is cheaper to fly a 35 on Mogas than it is an M20J on AVGAS considering all operating costs. That includes maintenance (Beech = Pain) and engine funds as well. (I figured 65/hr for Beech Ops and 45/hr for Mooney Ops, please correct me if I’m mistaken)
Flying as fast as a Mooney with enough capacity for 4 people and luggage, or tanks to fly all the way across Europe…
Well, it sounds tempting, yes. But with a Bonanza, you will very quickly find yourself in parts of Europe where there is absolutely no mogas to be had at the regular airports.
Also, if you want to know about the joys of buying an aicraft on the other side of the pond, read the current issue of PuF.
Rather, would look around closer by: click
Thanks for the tips.
I wake up to PC, and have spent far too many minutes peeling over every aircraft that flows through…
The panel on that ‘59 is a mess, but I’m curious nonetheless…
Ich lese gerade die aktuelle Ausgabe (online) aber siehe nicht die passende Artikel…
Kannst du mir bitte zeigen welche du meinst?
I think FAA auto fuel STCs are actually more useable in Europe. Applicable auto fuel, minus alcohol, is essentially unavailable in the US today. I think the only issue in Europe in the ASTM (?) fuel specification called out in the STCs is not the mogas specification utilized in Europe, but if you read the STC owners websites they seem to minimize this importance of this issue.
Silvaire wrote:
I think FAA auto fuel STCs are actually more useable in Europe.
This is what I’m thinking! With a fuel truck, it could make sense in the US, but otherwise… it is more miss than hit for finding Mogas there.
I’ve read as much as I can on the Mogas debate, and as far as I can tell, the only real issues are compression ratios and fuel additives. As the compression ratios for the IO-470 is low enough, it can burn the Mogas without an issue.
As Mogas in Europe doesn’t have the additives that Pumpgas does (ethanol, and others,) there’s no issue with corrosion of lines, etc. and the Octane is high enough that it meets the requirements for this particular engine.
From what I’ve read though, it was a harsh additive that caused the corrosion issues, and that hasn’t been in pumpgas for a while…
See here
boscomantico wrote:
And it doesn’t usually cost only 1.30€
Right, thanks for the correction. (Was using old numbers from a galaxy far far away…)
Adjusted Figures (for what it’s worth)
10gph * 3.78l * 2.45€ = 92.6€ / Hr
10gph * 3.78l * 1.70€ = 64.2€ / Hr
Difference = 29€ / Hr, or 30% savings, so for a 100hr year, that’s a 2,900€ difference, or roughly the cost of an annual.
Wouldn’t work so well in Ireland where all Mogas now seems to have Ethanol. Ethanol is a no go for me, I’ve had too many scares with it. Its worth the extra few quid for me to stick Avgas in.
WilliamF wrote:
all Mogas now seems to have Ethanol
Do you mean Mogas (found at airports in German speaking countries) or Pumpgas (found along the road worldwide)?
Different kinds of fuel, but people often mix the words.
The US is slowly developing a GA Mogas marketplace. Check out the nationwide network of airfields with “Mogas” which is to say cheapo avgas…
Similar site, but for Pumpgas locations without Ethanol: here
Not so bad if you’ve got a fuel tank on a trailer…
is there anything like this in Europe? Is there anyone keeping a map of locations for Mogas and Pumpgas without ethanol?
