Fuel You Can Afford -Finally

I am so happy to be paying a "reasonable" price for fuel that I almost don't mind ATC delays any more. ...I said almost.

After paying between $6.50 and $7.50 for fuel at John Wayne Airport lately, not to mention $8.10 per gallon last weekend in Las Vegas, I was very happy to find gas at Big Bear Airport (L35) for only $3.50 per gallon. By the way, AirNav.com has a great fuel finder tool to help find those airports that reduce the prices as quickly as they raised them.

There was a fairly long line of single engine airplanes waiting to fuel up today, but who could blame them. Not only was it a beautiful day, but the air was free of the smoke from the disastrous fires that sadly have been plaguing the LA basin for the last two days.

Another reason many of the pilots fuel up at Big Bear is the Barnstorm Cafe. I have posted about them before, but its worth another one. There aren't many 'old time' airport cafes left and this one is a peach. It is owned by Renee (pictured), who really knows how to take care of customers. The food is great, just like you'd expect from a home-town cafe. Also, the front tables look out onto the runway so you can watch the comings and goings while you eat.

I used to top off the tanks whereever I landed, but for the last year or two, finding fuel at an affordable price has been a challenge. We're on track to fly only half as many hours in 2008 as we did in 2006. With any luck, and a continued deflation of the oil bubble, we will return to flying more often.

Big Bear is the most reasonable fuel stop in the LA basin, but its not the cheapest fuel around. Boulder City NV has 110LL for $3.36. Let me know if you find it any cheaper in the western states.

I know that FBO's are having a hard time and the fuel they lift is one of the primary sources of profit, but the free market economic laws don't compel me to buy gas at the highest price when I have an alternative. Hopefully a balance will be found where FBO's can charge a reasonable amount and still make a profit.