Postby RV4ker (RIP) » Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:54 am
Pproblem we have had is a guy fones asks for fuel at x time. (I help when I can, but I am often not around on the weekends when guys fly). Fuel guy then closes his business goes out to the field and waits, and waits and waits. Then when the aerie arrives pilot is grumpy because he is late and can't understand why the fuel guy is not that excited to see him. What about the poor bugger sitting at the field waiting. Our fuel guy has a R250 call out fee since he is away from the workshop and he has been dropped in the shit so many times by guys not pitching. He makes almost bugger all out of the fuel (avgas) but get stuffed around plenty. (He is passionate aviator, but also needs to make a living)...
My take would be get on here, AVCOM, EAA & microfly mailgroups and post your route and intentions. Gather some cell numbers and try meet the boys on your way round the country. I have ferried a couple little aeries with limited fuel around the place and I have never been stuck. Sometimes it takes a while and I have slept under the wing or walked the 10km into town, but usually you can flag down a local, go to the local Midas or Co-Op and bum a drum. eg. Sales Rep in Prieska, Farmer & tractor in Bloemhof to jump start a dead battery, bummed a lift into Wollies on back of TLB, Council dump truck in Schweizer, business contact in FAKD, Mr delivery at Potch (ordered a Pizza and then asked the guy to give me a lift into town) etc.... Frustrating, but if you see it as one of the joys of X-country flying then it becomes adventure in itself. I have done 2 trips where we purposefully did not arrange anything since we did not know where we were going. Do it on the fly and make a plan... Most are hugely accommodating and in return for a 5min flip around the patch it a win win situation.....
just my 2c....
PS
I have found the lodges in general to be less than accommodating, but they often have fuel issues themselves and often the fuel is stored in less than ideal circumstances....
4 Sale (will trade)
P166S, Jodel, hangar and other odds and sods
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Still @ The Coves (Harties) but dream has died