Effect of rising fuel costs on Historic A/C

Historically Jet A-1/AVTUR has always been cheaper than AVGAS I would imagine that this is due to some agreement between Airlines and governments to keep Duty on Jet A-1 low for the good of the industry and economy

I shouldn’t think so; jet fuel is simply much cheaper to produce than AVGAS.

As an operator, the fuel price rise has an impact but it really is quite small in comparison to everything else

In New Zealand maybe, and also depending on the type of aircraft operated. AVGAS costs almost €2,50 per litre in Germany now!

I think the largest impact will be seen and felt among the light vintage aircraft, where fuel costs constitute a higher proportion of the operating costs. You should see the amount of SE aircraft currently for sale in Germany at the moment!

As an operator, the fuel price rise has an impact but it really is quite small in comparison to everything else. Fuel and oil are some of the cheaper parts of operating a vintage aircraft or warbird and make up perhaps only 20% or so of the costs. Its insurance, overhaul or replacement costs (engine in particular), annual/periodic/unforseen maintenance, hangarage that are the killers. Flight insurance is always on the rise and accounts for approx 4%/annum here in NZ (not sure about the UK or elsewhere) so if we are talking of a warbird worth 1.5million the insurance is $$$$$. Overhaul costs are high based on numerous things but it is a similar story as the maintenance, the per hour charge out rate is going up and up and it is very time consuming to maintain an aircraft regardless of type.

Flying is not particularly cheap at the best of times and it only gets worse and worse, but fuel is really just one of a fairly big handfull of problems.

Still, must keep flying as its just too much fun. Better to die broke and happy than rich and bored senseless…….

fuel costs are always a major limiting factor in the vintage scene. With the majority of the aircraft being run on a shoe string to begin with any increase in fuel duty has the obvious consequence of increasing the price of the aircraft for airshows. This in turn means that airshows will start to look at more cost effective options such as more light aircraft and a greater military presence (military fuel is at a considerably lower duty if not zero duty), rather than private warbirds and other vintage aircraft. Historically Jet A-1/AVTUR has always been cheaper than AVGAS I would imagine that this is due to some agreement between Airlines and governments to keep Duty on Jet A-1 low for the good of the industry and economy.

I was wondering the same, I’ve been told that piston engine fuel is even worse price wise than AVTUR/JET A1, must take effect on the more cash strapped operators,

I can’t see the BA surcharge directly affecting historic a/c operations, but in general the fuel situation must begin to bite.

You will probably see it first in entry level ‘warbirds’ , simply becuase if money were no object most people would go straight to the more snorty end of the spectrum, thus probably we’ll see Harvards coming on the market with very little take-up, as well as Yak 52s and other fuel-guzzlers.

It would be great to imagine there is some light at the end of this particular tunnel, but I simply cannot see it