Aviation Fuel Prices

[202]

Does the increase in fuel prices have any implications for IAC operations? How far ahead does the IAC hedge is fuel purchases?

[pilatus]

well it certainly doesnt make it any cheaper i would guess!it at times like this the corps is happy they dont have fighter jets!imagine the fuel bill!?it just wouldnt be justifiable!

[Fouga]

Quote (pilatus @ 19 Oct. 2005,01:29)

they dont have fighter jets!imagine the fuel bill!?it just wouldnt be justifiable!

And its Justifiable for Sweden? Switzerland? Canada?

[pilatus]

yes it is justifiable to them as they have the budgets to cope with such hikes and they also face more of a threat than we do from terrorists.i remember it was said that if the corps got a sqn of hawks the fuel bill would increase four fold over night!now imagine if we got even 6F16 or F18 they guzzle alot more fuel than any hawk so imagine the cost!no it would not be justifiable given the threats which face us at present which is extremely low.

[Fouga]

Since when did you hear of Switzerland being under threat from terrorists? Or Canada or Sweden?

[sealion]

Quote (Fouga @ 20 Oct. 2005,14:16)

Since when did you hear of Switzerland being under threat from terrorists? Or Canada or Sweden?

You don't watch the news much, do you?

[John K]

They get a lot of snow!

[Hess]

Any country in the "Western World " faces threats from terrorism. The Republic of Ireland is no different. We are all in the same boat, so to speak. Just because the perceived level of threat is small, is no justification for rolling out the same old argument of cost. Every citizen in this country who drives a car has to have insurance, even though he/she only takes it 'to mass on a Sunday', i.e. low threat. I had to pay €1500 last year for house insurance, again 'low threat'.
The sooner the muppets in government (and those out of it) accept that they have a responsibility to protect the people of Ireland, the better.
Every country in Europe worth its salt has at least one fast jet squadron. Why do we have to be different? Do we know something that they don't? SO CAN IT WITH THE COST!! We're a rich country.
If we can blow €200 million on an IT system that doesn't work, then we can spend money on our Air Corps. Jets, choppers etc. are just another form of insurance that we have to pay.

[P.Doff]

Avgas 100LL (basically, 100 octane almost unleaded petrol) which is what our Cessnas and almost every other piston engined a/c runs on, costs about €3 a litre at the moment. Each Cessna uses about 60-100 litres a day depending on missions and we normally have 2-4 of them flying each day up to 7 days a week.
So you can use this as a starting point and work your way up through the fleet from there!!!!

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi P.Doff
The State is not paying full rate for any fuel, certainly not E3/litre. It doesn't charge itself Duty.Avgas is selling for about E1.60/litre at the airfields.Avtur is selling for around E0.5/litre.In effect, the price rise of oil, of late, has no operational effect on Government flying.
regards
GttC

[pilatus]

Quote (GoneToTheCanner @ 24 Oct. 2005,05:03)

Hi P.Doff The State is not paying full rate for any fuel, certainly not E3/litre. It doesn't charge itself Duty.Avgas is selling for about E1.60/litre at the airfields.Avtur is selling for around E0.5/litre.In effect, the price rise of oil, of late, has no operational effect on Government flying. regards GttC

i didnt think of it like that!roughly what would be the average cost of fuel for the aircorps on any day?!5000euro 10000euro?i know no day is the same but on a typical day of operations?

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi Pilatus
I couldn't even  hazard a guess! Must be a few thousand litres of Avtur a day, on a busy day.It's probably a State secret!!
regards
GttC

[pilatus]

would this be the same case for the aer lingus as it is 95% state owned or something like that,so would they get their fuel cheap aswell?

[GoneToTheCanner]

Pilatus
No.Aer Lingus gets it's fuel on the open market, same as everyone else.All airlines try and "hedge" their fuel needs by buying as far in advance as possible.Airlines try and shop around for the cheapest fuel,too.It's not unusual for airlines to avoid uplifting at particular airports if the cost is too much.The Air Corps doesn't really worry about such things because it's operations are not commercially-orientated.
regards
GttC

[pilatus]

but when air corps aircraft land at airports and refuel what is the bill like then?is it the same as civilian airlines on these occasions?!