WIX Archives
Re: Warbird Fuel- doom and gloom
Posted by bdk on Wed Jan 02, 2002 09:01:21 PM
In reply top Warbird Fuel posted by Paul Coggan on Wed Jan 02, 2002 05:13:33 AM
There is an auto fuel Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) already available for the T-6 Pratt & Whitney R-1340 to use common automotive fuel. I believe that the EAA sells the STC. In fact, EAA has done most of the work on auto fuel STC's over the last 20 years under the threat of leaded fuels going away.
Warbirds have been operated for years in the US using 100LL fuel, even thought many of the engines were designed for 115/145 fuel. This is accomplished through the use of reduced manifold pressure. Perhaps with fuel additives currently available (octane boosters), these aircraft could be operated in the same manner they are today on unleaded auto fuel, or at worst with a slight manifold pressure reduction.
This doom and gloom has been prophesized for years (ever since the USAF stopped operating large radials and unleaded auto fuel became mandatory). It has yet to come to fruition. The sooner it actually happens, the sooner a solution will be found (in my opinion)...
Sure, the price may go up due to the quantity issue, but at $4 or $5 USD per gallon for auto fuel in the UK, how does Stephen Gray get by? Surely you can't suggest that an extra $150 an hour for fuel would stop many P-51 owners from flying their million dollar babies? How much of a difference is this if you amortize the fuel burn with the engine overhaul and other maintenance costs for a P-51 (what does a Merlin overhaul cost today?)?
If warbird owners were that concerned with costs, they would trade their million dollar P-51 for a better performing F-86 at one quarter the cost and put the remaining money into a lifetime suply of Jet A!
This is all just my opinion based upon my limited experience.
BK
: Now there are 500 SNJ aircraft 200 Mustangs and say an add
: itional 1000 Warbird aircraft in the Nation that fly. Say
: 2000 Aircraft. Every one of those aircraft can be averaged
: at 50 GPH lets say, and each owner could be budgeted to f
: ly 50 hours a year... Well this leads to 5 million gallons
: or so..Comments..?
:
: Joe"
:
: Would appreciate views and information from anyone with an
: interest