mups53

My Feedback: (41)

I was just wondering if anyone had an opinion on this. Also does anyone have any creative ideas how to save money on a pattern weekend trip? If we have too many flyers staying home this summer it's not going to be good. TIA, Mike

Kema

How much a gallon of gas costs threre?

Here in Finland(and all over Europe) price is about 1.40 EUR per litre of gas. Thats about 6,75$/gallon. I dont even start telling about car prices in here...

mups53

My Feedback: (41)

I live in Chicago and our prices for regular gasoline is around $2.90 an gallon. Experts are saying it will rise to around $3.50 this summer. Granted that's a lot less then the rest of the world but it's pretty steep for the US. Mike

can773

My Feedback: (1)

Have not heard anyone around here saying its going to affect travel plans...wont affect mine Adam and I are still planning to take our annual trek to Muncie (some 3500 km one way for me)...fuel prices will have to climb to a lot more than 3.50 a gallon to stop that

Although I do remember the first time I drove to Muncie in 1999, when the prices were about $1.10/gallon LOL

IFlySlowPlanes

I love it when Europeans tell us how good we have it when it comes to gas prices! Most of the difference is made up of government taxes, and if they don't like that, they should complain to their governments! Heck, I don't like how much of OUR gas prices are comprised of taxes, both state and federal! But to answer the original question, yes, gas prices are ALREADY affecting my travel plans. Just getting to the club field, which is 40+ minutes away, is something I now think twice about.

patrnflyr

My Feedback: (7)

To answer your question, no. Heck, my full scale Cessna burns 13 gallons per hour at $4.50 gal! Now that is something I need to look at carefully[&:]. I wholeheartedly agree that transportation costs in Europe are MUCH greater than ours. I also think they are much more fuel conscious than us "gas guzzling, SUV driving" Americans. (They have to be at those prices) However, one thing that I noticed most Europeans don't realize about the US is actually how big our country is. Some of the countries that I went through while living over there could be placed in just one of our states. Alot of friends in Germany would travel over here and marvel at the large expanse of land we have. I do realize they also have to travel great distances to pattern meets, but almost any pattern meet we go to involves a 5-8hr drive and sometimes a full day.

One thing you can do to cut down expenses is to buddy up with someone and travel together. That cuts down your gas costs in half. Just an idea. We try to do it all the time around here in Texas.

Another way that I'm starting to see is drive a very small car (like a Civic or something) and put an ultralight and streamlined trailer behind it for your planes. It's amazing how elaborate and futuristic these can get. I agree with you that it could definitely hurt the number of contestants at our meets.

yellerchamp

My Feedback: (42)

yep: canceled trip to oshkosh, air adventure[]

byoung466

My Feedback: (16)

I did a quick spreadsheet, difference in cost isn a huge deal for me. Talking about $40 difference average for the distance I travel. I did a quick worksheet to check, but ever $ counts still. I am putting off buying a new car hoping to replace my Explorer w/ a 30 mpg SUV if someone will make one to hold a pattern plane!

Oh...save $$...Creative Ideas?....sleep in the car

Rune

here in norway the price for 1 liter is currently ca 12 nok .......it means that you have to pay about 6,5 US$ for 1 gallon.......dont think you americans have anything to complain around!

klhoard

My Feedback: (10)

.
.
.
Nope, just happy to live in America!!!
.
.
.

MHester

My Feedback: (1)

Yes, unfortunately it will affect my plans a little. Instead of doing 10 contests this year, I'll probably only do 5-6

I will absolutely be at the Nats however. I know it's going to cost a chunk this time, but to heck with it. That one is a lot of fun and I wouldn't miss it.

-Mike

Rune

dont really complain that much just find the card and pay...but its a bit funny ...that expensive and with the north sea full off oil!

TeamVertical

My Feedback: (9)

What are people looking at as an alternative to carry 2m pattern planes? I would like a vehicle that can carry two planes with the stabs still on and support equipment for a contest. I think only the bigger SUV's (bad gas mpg) or mini vans (better mpg but I think there is better). I know one of the guys from Canada used a Toyota Matrix but it seemed a little cramped.

f3a05

A chap here used to fit himself, 2x2metre pattern planes, and his budgerigar, into a metro (just slightly bigger than a mini)
And what goes around comes around---how long will it be before China has the biggest economic muscles?
Already here antique Chinese porcelain is being bought up at silly prices to go home-- recently a fairly ordinary flask (estimate c$9300) sold forc. $511500

mups53

My Feedback: (41)

Some of the newer wagon type cars can fit a plane. I know the Scion Xbox (ugly) and I'm pretty sure that the Ford Focus wagons might be good alternatives. Also the old Ford Taurus wagons can fit 2 pattern planes and get 28MPG highway.

Mastertech

My Feedback: (31)

Kind of silly to spend $25-35k to save $500 or so in fuel savings over the course of a year. I'll keep driving my Dakota towing my trailer and get 17mpg and save that other 30k for a new shop. Come to think of it that $30k shop will add value to my house.

jamesjoneill

Changing the subject just a little I realise... How far do you guys in North America travel for a typical competition?? And are they typically one day events or over a whole weekend?

Most competitions here in the UK are one day events. This means that unless you can get by on very little sleep, there is only a certain radius you can travel to make the day worth while. For me, the furthest I tend to travel for a one day competition is about 190miles - any more than that and you have a very, very early start and when you get there you are exhausted after a long drive so don't perform as well. And after a long day you still have a long drive back home.

We have a few two - three day comps, but not many. Those I am prepared to travel a bit further for but then you have overnight accomodation to consider which requires not only more advanced planning, but another £50-£90 ($80 - $150) on the weekend per night, depending on where you stay.

Fuel costs for me are significant, but fortunately not prohibitive. I'll get maybe 300miles on a tank of fuel - that's about £50 ($90) which makes it an expensive weekend, but that's what I signed up for when I decided to go to comps.

All in all I guess this is an expensive hobby! The planes are expensive, and you have to travel around a lot which in this day and age is expensive! I've been to the USA on many occasions (loved it each time) and you are right - it is big!! We view a whole country in the same way you would view a medium sized state, the whole of the UK is about the same size as Florida. So it's rather meaningless to compare the fuel prices from one country to the next, as there are so many other factors to consider. If we are going to get into that game, consider this - a YS160 in the UK will cost you $840!!!!

(That's not to say we don't think we get screwed on fuel duty and taxes. Get this - we pay v.a.t. on the duty we pay on fuel - we get taxed on the tax we pay!! But that is a political argument and probably has no place here... ;-))

James

can773

My Feedback: (1)

James..my contests range from 200 km to just over 1000 km. If you count the US Nats, I drive 3500 km for that. I have also flown to contests as sometimes it can be cheaper if someone will drive me once I arrive All our events are two day, unless you are talking Nats and such.

The way I figure it...I spend thousands on income tax, thousands on housing and food...cars, thousands on my planes....a few extra bucks in gas for a fun weekend away from reality is money well spent