U-Fuel White Paper on self-service

U-Fuel, a manufacturer of fuel equipment for aviation and sponsor of the Aviation Fuel Club, has released a white paper (Self-Service Fuel: Airport Money Maker) on the benefits of self-service fueling The paper covers the historical development of self-service fueling, standard components of a modern system, related topics such as site preparation and installation, safety features, financing, insurance, and the expected return on investment (ROI), which U-Fuel forecasts at 20% or higher annually. Included is a comparison between self-service and truck-based fueling, to what extent these systems can be used with turbine aircraft, and it debuts the company’s “FBO in a Box” concept, an outgrowth of U-Fuel’s  experience placing fuel systems in remote environments. To airports searching for the means to reduce operational expenses and lower the cost of flying, self-service fueling, in widespread use for highway vehicles since the 1970s, provides many benefits to aviation, company officials said. The lower costs and smaller sizes of modern systems also enable airports to provide additional fuel options to pilots, for instance the emerging replacements for leaded avgas, ethanol-free autogas and 94UL.

U-Fuel chooses Chinese GA Show to debut new Sport Fuel Station

U-Fuel, a leading supplier of fuel stations to the aviation industry and sponsor of the Aviation Fuel Club, debuted in October its first “Sport Fuel” station at the China International General Aviation Convention (CIGAC) in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. First announced in the spring of this year, U-Fuel's Sport Fuel system represents the state of the art in self-service aviation fuel stations, placing all critical components and the fuel tank withing a strong steel enclosure. Pre-engineered and pre-fabricated, the system can be easily trucked to an airport and installed within a few hours. Asked why the company chose China for the worldwide debut of U-Fuel's latest aviation product, company founder and CEO Mike Webb explained: “Our company's Chinese division is deeply involved in building's its nation's fuel infrastructure, which includes its first airports dedicated to General Aviation. As in other areas of industrial development, our Chinese clients prefer the latest technology but demand also the same safety and environmental protection that we have built into all our systems the past 25 years. These new fuel stations are ideal for sales of our 'Sport Fuel' brand of 91+ AKI ethanol-free, lead-free autogas. Due to the lack of 100LL avgas in China, the two predominant aviation fuels are autogas and jet fuel.” Kent Misegades, aviation sales representative for U-Fuel, comments on the importance of this new station for the North American market: "Our new Sport Fuel station is the result of a two-year effort to develop a lower-cost, pre-fabricated, self-service fuel station to better serve the requirements of General Aviation. Many airports need to upgrade antiquated - and in many instances unsafe - fuel systems, but they are short on funds. In other cases, they are preparing for a future which will include autogas and possibly 94UL as additional fuels for piston-engine aircraft. These new, highly-affordable fuel stations are ideal for such situations. We expect to make the first deliveries in the US before year's end, and anticipate expanding our production capacity in early 2012 to meet demand." For more information, contact Kent Misegades at U-Fuel, kent@ufuel.com, 919-946-7096.

CEH may proceed with 100LL lawsuit against FBOs, judge determines

In a decision that is sending shock waves through California's aviation community, a judge has dismissed a motion of injunction brought by a group of FBOs in their attempt to block a lawsuit by the Center for Environmental Health.  The lawsuit seeks to end the production, delivery and sale of leaded Avgas used at a large number of General Aviation airports in California, according to a report from General Aviation News.   AFC members know that etahnol-free, lead-free autogas has been an affordable alternative to leaded avgas since it was first approved as an aviation fuel by the FAA in 1982.  Many airports in California know this too, and are seeking to establish sales of the fuel there.  California's strict regulations on the use of ethanol for highway vehicles however have made it nearly impossible to obtain supplies from within the state.  Fortunately, it is readily available in Nevada and Arizona which will be the likely sources of autogas as it is added to airports out west. The Directors of the AFC are helping many airports there secure suppliers and storage solutions for autogas, now made all the more important as a result of this legal ruling.

U-Fuel partners with AUA for fueling insurance

In October, U-Fuel announced a new partnership with Aviation Unlimited Agency (AUA, Greensboro, NC) one of the leading providers of aviation insurance in the US. Kent Misegades, aviation sales representative for U-Fuel and AFC Director, described the new collaboration: “Our clients are seeking affordable options in liability insurance to cover their aircraft fueling operations. AUA, whose founders Norma and Butch Joyce are well-respected leaders in the sport aviation community, understand the needs of pilots, general aviation airports and FBO managers. We're excited to be able to refer our customers to AUA for all their fuel-related liability insurance needs.”

AUA's Norma Joyce, who has decades of experience in the aviation insurance industry, welcomes the cooperation with U-Fuel: “We look forward to helping U-Fuel's clients with their insurance questions & providing them with product liability for all aviation fuels, including autogas, avgas and Jet-A.”

For information on fueling insurance, contact Norma Joyce, AUA, norma@auaonline.com, 1-800-358-8197. For information on U-Fuel systems, contact Kent Misegades, Aviation & Marine Sales, U-Fuel, kent@ufuel.com, 919-303-8230 (W), 919-946-7096 (M).

Aviation 101 - recent gafuels postings

Two AFC Directors, Dean Billing of Sisters, OR and Kent Misegades of Cary, NC, co-author the GAfuels blog at General Aviation News. Below are links to some of their recent postings on issues related to aviation fuels.

'Washing' ethanol out of mogas - Part II, October 30th, 2011

Can fuel suppliers refuse autogas sales for aviation?, October 27th, 2011

U-Fuel releases white paper on self-service fueling, October 26th, 2011

U-Fuel debuts Sport Fuel station, October 17th, 2011