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Fuel costs
...just went to near $6 (self-serve) and $6.15 from the truck at PAO. 
Outlying airports still have self-serve nearer $5 but it's hard to justify a special stop unless I'd clearly save $50 or more. 
An annoyance for sure, although it's only 1/4 - 1/3 the total cost of flying...sort of. The problem is that energy cost increases are among the least resistible of inflationary forces, at least until compensating efficiencies are invented and adopted. Thus I fully expect labor and parts costs to escalate as well.
I hope the Swiftfuel and G100UL guys can make some headway. Even more important than the lead-related issues, these fuels or others like them could have broader use (think high performance auto or boat racing) and would not need the segregated storage and delivery infrastructure--for a tiny market!--required by 100LL. This could at least temper future cost increases.
A really sad thing is that we tend to underestimate how many GA pilots fly even though they can just barely afford it. When we experience rapid cost increases like those currently underway, many suspend flying at least temporarily or opt out altogether. This ripples through a fragile GA infrastructure as lost demand for products and services, resulting in business closures, loss of competition, etc. Hard to see a positive aspect to all of this.
One can hope the oil price bubble will burst to at least some degree like it did a couple of years ago.
Outlying airports still have self-serve nearer $5 but it's hard to justify a special stop unless I'd clearly save $50 or more. An annoyance for sure, although it's only 1/4 - 1/3 the total cost of flying...sort of. The problem is that energy cost increases are among the least resistible of inflationary forces, at least until compensating efficiencies are invented and adopted. Thus I fully expect labor and parts costs to escalate as well.
I hope the Swiftfuel and G100UL guys can make some headway. Even more important than the lead-related issues, these fuels or others like them could have broader use (think high performance auto or boat racing) and would not need the segregated storage and delivery infrastructure--for a tiny market!--required by 100LL. This could at least temper future cost increases.
A really sad thing is that we tend to underestimate how many GA pilots fly even though they can just barely afford it. When we experience rapid cost increases like those currently underway, many suspend flying at least temporarily or opt out altogether. This ripples through a fragile GA infrastructure as lost demand for products and services, resulting in business closures, loss of competition, etc. Hard to see a positive aspect to all of this.
One can hope the oil price bubble will burst to at least some degree like it did a couple of years ago.
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