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Old 19th Jan 2009, 11:11
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civil aviation
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Typical

A genuine club may obviously charge what its members decide but, although scandalous as well as amateurish, it is typical that some have apparently been selling way above, or below !, cost price for fuel. In some areas, you have a choice of retailers nearby to combat club rip-offs but, in others, the cost of getting there would outweigh any possible saving. Another factor is that some, so-called, clubs aren't really mutual but, in practice, businesses run for the benefit of the CFI or Committee by scamming their student 'members' and 'guests'(visitors).

By the way, it isn't as simple as 'oil was $150 and is now $50 so fuel should be a third of previous price' because:
-a high proportion of the U.K. retail price is excise duty which, unlike VAT, is a 'fixed' amount of tax and
-the £ has depreciated significantly.

In a competitive commercial business, the price will be closely related to cost.
I know that the top JAA FTO supplier in Florida has definitely cut fuel prices by over a half since I last looked in the Autumn (now $2.44 gal.). O.K. It is 24 hour self-service, rather than attendant, but most pilots seem to prefer DIY.
For current prices, see Ormond Beach Aviation - Home Page - Welcome!
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