'Avoiding' high airport fees

[samatyranin]

Hey, got question for ya guys. As I'm now building my flight hours. I wanted to spend those hours traveling across the Europe. I'm planning few shorter or longer trips for next summer season. And as you may know flight training is not that cheap so huge part of planning those trips is how to avoid high airport costs. I will be flying DA40 (Jet-A). And I've noticed that in Europe Jet-A is not that common as I initially thought. I mean for what I see on for example SkyDemon you can either land on cheap or even free flying club airstrips but then you usually have there AvGas or MoGas only or you go to those bigger airports to have Jet-A but then you usually have to pay for landing much more. And it's not just the landing fees that scares me the most. It's handling fees where you are not allowed to walk around on the apron without supervision. And those handling prices can sometimes be 2-5 times bigger than landing fees itself. I'm looking for some clues in Textual AIPs or any other way to cut handling fees (or avoid them at all) and be able to refuel Jet-A.

So I noticed that some of the AIPs tend to have 'O/R' or 'On request' phrase in handling section. And while only towered airport (outside of my homebase - EPPO) where I've been - EDAH - has handling times given there in AIP while after you land you're free to walk around without violating any rules. What does 'O/R' exactly means? Any other tips to look at? Or maybe internet sources?

[Jan Olieslagers]

O/R: on request, indeed. Translates to "give them a ring to begin with".

For getting diesel, you will have to find your field, there are some clubs that have a diesel pump, often because they operate a diesel-fuelled plane themselves. I think EBTX Verviers-Theux is one but you had better check with them. EBAW Antwerp has no mandatory handling, and must surely have Jet A1 - but their landing fees are substantially higher, of course. Could look into EBKT Kortrijk too, they have good restaurant.

[samatyranin]

O/R: on request, indeed. Translates to "give them a ring to begin with".


But it doesn't mean 'If you want to walk few kilometers then do whatever you want as long as you'll stay safe. But we can ride you to/from your airplanes for your most expensive uber ride ever', huh? :D

And your list is quite short that's why I'm wondering if besides of what can be found in pilot notes at SkyDemon is there any other source where I can find airports that have exclusion zones for GA traffic (so for example as long as you're parked at GA apron then you go to GA terminal without needing to have any airport pass or handling agent following you.

[Jan Olieslagers]

To my knowledge there isn't even a more or less complete and more or less up to date list of what aerodromes in Europe have which kinds of fuel on tap... let alone mandatory handling. So I'm afraid you will have to find possible candidates - not too small, not too big - then find out somehow for each one individually, whether they have Jet fuel and whether handling is mandatory. eddh.de - Willkommen! (http://www.eddh.de) used to have lots of pilot reports commenting on the smaller fields, it' been a while now since I checked there.

[samatyranin]

Well as for looking for Jet-A it is quite easy as long as airport is in AIP you can find fuel types available usually. So I'll probably stick to emailing and asking around at specific strips for any possiblities to get out with local flight school members or anything.

[Piper.Classique]

Does it have to be Jet A? Or is diesel an option? Just wondering if you can do a trip to a local garage? Don't laugh.

[samatyranin]

You may have a point here. As far as I know DA40's are also good to go on plain diesel fuel (these engines are converted from Mercedes-Benz diesel engines aren't they?).

To be honest I did not think about that this way. I need to consider that :P

[B2N2]

Use of Diesel fuel has different limitations.
Check the Airplane Flight Manual.
If I recall correctly fuel temperatures have different limits.

[Dan Dare]

The title of this thread suggests cost saving. I’d have thought diesel costs significantly more than Jet A1 due to road fuel duties so any savings avoiding the big airfields would be negated. Some airfields waive the landing fee with enough fuel uplift - could that be the right balance of cost and convenience?

[Capn Bug Smasher]

You might consider a Jerry can and jiggle siphon. Not sure if it's legal to carry tho.

But make sure it's a good, military-standard one and be sure not to take it very high where you might have problems with pressure difference.

[B2N2]

You might consider a Jerry can and jiggle siphon. Not sure if it's legal to carry tho.

But make sure it's a good, military-standard one and be sure not to take it very high where you might have problems with pressure difference.

Whatever makes you think that is good advice?
You can’t carry fuel unless it’s in an approved tank eg a ferry tank with associated cost and paperwork.

Depending on number of hours you intend to fly a trip to Canada, the US or South Africa may be an option.
10-12 hrs is probably the break even point as far as ticket cost is concerned.
Relevant COVID restrictions apply but the US is partially lifting their travel restrictions.

[Jan Olieslagers]

The suggestion was to carry a jerry-can, not fuel in a jerry-can :)

[Maoraigh1]

As a mogas user, I never carried an empty jerrican. There were no airfields/strips with filling stations near enough for me to be willing to carry 2 full cans back. And carrying a trolley, securely tied down with the cans was too much bother.
Using a taxi would push the cost far above Avgas.
And, while JetA1 is cheaper than diesel, Avgas is dearer than mogas.

[Jhieminga]

Can't provide a fail-safe way of finding a cheap airfield with Jet A-1, but if you venture across the Dutch-German border, try EHTE, EHTX, EHMZ, EHHV or EHHO. Actually, most Dutch fields will be able to supply Jet A-1 and the prices should be available on the airfield's website.

[md 600 driver]

Can't provide a fail-safe way of finding a cheap airfield with Jet A-1, but if you venture across the Dutch-German border, try EHTE, EHTX, EHMZ, EHHV or EHHO. Actually, most Dutch fields will be able to supply Jet A-1 and the prices should be available on the airfield's website.
you would be better stoping in Holland or Belgium there is huge taxes to pay on jet A1 in Germany