100 LL Availability

The ramblings of our community of aviators.

Moderators: Rick, Lance Murray

Post Reply
User avatar
Tom Davis
3 Diamonds Member
3 Diamonds Member
Posts: 72
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2013 7:05 pm
First Name: Tom
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N476PS
Airports: KOCW
Has thanked: 63 times
Been thanked: 4 times

100 LL Availability

Post by Tom Davis »

Does anyone have any idea about 100 LL availability on the east coast since the Colonial Oil mess?
User avatar
TimS
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 548
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2010 1:10 am
First Name: Timothy
Aircraft Type: OTHER
Aircraft Registration: N1446C
Airports: 6B6 Stowe MA
Has thanked: 93 times
Been thanked: 96 times

Re: 100 LL Availability

Post by TimS »

Should not affect 100LL directly. 100LL is not shipped in the pipelines, it is trucked direct from the refinery to the end point.
Now, if the refinery on the east coast (I forget which one/where) was planning to switch to 10LL production soon (it is made in small batches on an infrequent basis), then yes we may get hurt because the refinery may choose to produce mogas/diesel instead and delay production of 100LL.

Tim
User avatar
CFIDave
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 2678
Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2012 3:40 pm
First Name: Dave
Aircraft Type: OTHER
Aircraft Registration: N333GX
Airports: KJYO Leesburg VA
Has thanked: 230 times
Been thanked: 1473 times

Re: 100 LL Availability

Post by CFIDave »

100LL is a "boutique" fuel produced in relatively small quantities, so it's shipped entirely by truck. The lead content would contaminate any pipeline, and would keep a pipeline from ever carrying other fuels.

So the Colonial pipeline shut-down shouldn't directly affect 100LL, unless it forces refineries located in the South (including those that produce 100LL) to shut down.

BTW, I'm sitting about 200 yards from the shut-down Colonial pipeline as I write this; my home lot's eastern boundary here in VA is defined by the underground pipeline, with a permanent easement to Colonial. And no, I don't have permission to tap into the pipeline as it crosses my property to obtain some free JetA for my DA62. :) About once per week a pipeline patrol Cessna 172 flies by at only about 200 feet AGL checking for construction or excavation that might endanger the pipe. If only Colonial had put that much effort into cyber-security...
Epic Aircraft E1000 GX
Former DA40XLS, DA42-VI, and DA62 owner
ATP, CFI, CFI-I, MEI
User avatar
Colin
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 2006
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 8:37 pm
First Name: Colin
Aircraft Type: DA42
Aircraft Registration: N972RD
Airports: KFHR
Has thanked: 319 times
Been thanked: 527 times

Re: 100 LL Availability

Post by Colin »

I wonder how long before that C172 is replaced with a drone.
Colin Summers, PP Multi-Engine IFR, ~3,000hrs
colin@mightycheese.com * send email rather than PM
http://www.flyingsummers.com
N972RD DA42 G1000 2.0 s/n 42.AC100 (sold!)
N971RD DA40 G1000 s/n 40.508 (traded)
User avatar
Lou
4 Diamonds Member
4 Diamonds Member
Posts: 370
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 1:39 pm
First Name: Louis
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: CGXLO
Airports: CZVL
Has thanked: 118 times
Been thanked: 115 times

Re: 100 LL Availability

Post by Lou »

Lots of pipeline patrols out of our home airport, and I have wondered the same thing about drones. I think it is mostly an endurance thing otherwise the tech would be perfect.

To get an idea of how much of a boutique fuel 100LL is I can tell you a true story. Canada’s only avgas production line is in Edmonton, where I live. My eldest daughter’s friend graduated from engineering school and they gave him the job of running the line. When he decided to move on to a new career, he tried to train his replacement, who wasn’t very detail oriented or receptive. Within a month, problems began to surface and a national notam was issued shutting down 100ll fueling until every storage tank that received a delivery could be tested and corrected.
Post Reply