Reynard

https://www.businessnewsaustralia.com/articles/viva-energy-restarts-key-geelong-refinery-unit-after-fire-but-alkylation-plant-to-stay-offline-through-2027.html

I don’t have an update on the repairs at Viva, but the same unit could produce AvPULP.

Thanks for that Rodgerc - in a distant previous life, I supplied ethylene diamine (and other neutralising and filming amines) to oil refineries and many other industrial processes. I’m very aware of the circumstances at Mobil Altona and what led to the amine ending up in Avgas back in the ‘90s. Fortunately for me, it was a competitors product, but ultimately there was no fault by the supplier. The root cause was the operation of the alkylation plant being unstable leading to acid carryover into downstream processes. The neutralising amine is routinely dosed to these downstream processes to neutralise the acid and thereby limit corrosion. The suppliers responsibility is to monitor the pH and adjust the amine dose accordingly. The more acid carryover, the lower the pH in the downstream processes- keep cranking up the amine dose. The suppliers performance was measured by the corrosion rate. This led to a massive overdose of amine. Of course, Mobil may have a different opinion - it’s usually the supplier that cops it. Anyhow, getting a bit off track. Of course we are largely relying on overseas refineries these days, with the exception of Avgas which predominantly is produced at Viva in Geelong-that is until they had a fire in their alkylation unit.

Anybody have any info of on airfield AvPULP 98 prices ? Most recent OzRunways user price for AvPULP at Camden on 2 July, was $2.00…….which sounds fairly reasonable.

I would suggest the critical difference between AvPULP 98 and Servo 98 is convenience. ”If you have the right stuff at the right place at the right time, you can set your own price” on IOR’s website, they suggest that AvPULP is not adulterated with any of those nasty additives that bulk fuel suppliers use……… “Unlike MOGAS which may contain dangerous, uncontrolled, and incompatible oxygenated and other fuel components harmful to users and the environment, the safety of AvPULP is enhanced with an assured higher-octane quality and energy content.”

IOR has AvPULP (aviation grade 98 mogas) bowsers at Bendigo, Latrobe Valley and Camden. That’s it, so far.

If you fly a Rotax and have an understandably strong bias toward Mogas, it is almost logistically impossible to fly long distances in Australia without having to resort to using Avgas at some locations. (Don’t ask me how I know)

The global availability of Tetra Ethyl Lead (TEL) may influence the supply of 100LL Avgas sooner rather than later. Is Australia’s GA and Recreational fleet ready for this……and will airfields around Australia have an alternative available in time ?? “U.K.-based Innospec, which is the sole remaining manufacturer of TEL in the Western world, plans to permanently discontinue production in the 2028–2029 timeframe. The highly corrosive nature of manufacturing TEL makes maintaining the aging equipment too expensive to justify continued operations” (AVweb)

Cheaper than a C172 !

Cirrus had a crack at an LSA some years ago, but it never took off (pun intended) https://planeandpilotmag.com/fk-lightplanes-new-model-offsetting-cirrus-stall/

Hummingbird

Yes, it should be in ERSA, but maybe Skippy could contact AvPlan /OzRunways and suggest they add current airport fees to their embedded airport data.

I currently use 50% blockout static cling on my ‘roof’ - so far, so good. I would expect a static cling tint shade on the upper part of the windshield would be satisfactory.

My interpretation of the RA-AUS note was that it was ackowledging the global shortage of specialty oils due to the Strait of Hormuz crisis. Trying to actually find a local supply of AeroShell Sportplus 4 oil has been the issue over the past few months and it may be tempting to use something else other than Rotax approved fluids. The Rotax approved fluids are clearly listed in the attachment on the RAAus note - AeroShell Sportplus 4 being one of the approved fluids……as well as Rotax branded products. i couldn’t detect a specific bias by RAaus other than to state the manufacturers requirements.

Extract from Wentworth council website T&C’s : “ For the purposes of establishing liability for charges, a flight by an aircraft may be identified by and not limited to documentation, which includes information supplied by Air Services Australia, ADS-B transponder data, recordings of messages broadcast to or from the aircraft and visual observations of aircraft activity.” How often is ADS-B data used by Avdata or others to impose fees ?