Port Augusta AVGAS off line....

[Paul Alfred]

Found out when I arrived back today that after Mobil did their tank checks this week and the AVGAS tank failed the test The decision to repair the tank is pending ......in other words Mobil will spend the money or they wont. The Jet tank is fine. This is another huge blow for many Piston operators north and for those just travelling through. Losing the Bowser at Leigh Creek was bad enough so fingers crossed PAG will be repaired.

Thought I'd post this tonight incase anyone was planning to fill there. I will update again as soon as I know what the verdict is.

Cheers.

[717tech]

Went through there 2 days ago and the local guy told me it would be offline.... thought a NOTAM would have been appropriate?

[Horatio Leafblower]

apparently fuel is not important enough to the NOTAM office. Nothing to do with safety aparrently

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

How's Port Pirie......??

Looong time since...but ERSA says ok..??

And Whyalla appears to be ok..self serve according to ERSA...

[Brian Abraham]

Whyalla self serve and Pirie OK

[P51D]

Mobil have closed their Broome bowser. Word has it they're getting out elsewhere. I wouldn't be overly optimistic they'll retain PA. Would seem to be unsympathetic to GA.

[YPJT]

Seems to be the case at a lot of places where avgas throughput has been dwindling. Companies have barely maintained the infrastructure and when a fault is identified, it gives them all the ammuntion they need to shut it off. Many airfields are going it alone and installing their own tanks and bowsers. Not a cheap undertaking but in the long term, cheaper than shipping drums accross the countryside.

Airservices refusing to NOTAM for fuel is always a problem. The fact that ERSA can take 2 issues for the revised information to be published doesn't help either.

If you are travelling accross country, ALWAYS ring the fuel agent to confirm availability.

[Desert Flower]

Jeez PA - that's going to make your ops a trifle awkward! Did you get onto that number I gave you regarding fuel at YMRE?

DF.

[Peter Fanelli]

Seems to be the case at a lot of places where avgas throughput has been dwindling. Companies have barely maintained the infrastructure and when a fault is identified, it gives them all the ammuntion they need to shut it off.

Or even when there isn't a fault, they probably just dream one up and use it as an excuse.

[Paul Alfred]

Hey DF,

Just waiting on the chance of getting some storage space for some Drums at PAG...without a hangar it looks doubtful. Port Pirie are also happy to oblige and the latest is their are discussions going on to fix the PAG tank but how long that will take is anybody's guess.

Cheers.

[Old Akro]

I've always found the aero club guys at PAG friendly & helpful. I'm sure you can find a hangar for drums. The nearby Gliding strip might be a chance for fuel. Olympic Dam has shell if you can get that far. The Mobil dealer in Adelaide does a milk run up the Stuart Highway . I'm sure they will drop you some drums somewhere useful - but drums are an expensive option.

[Brian Abraham]

Esso, who own the Mobil brand now, have always been uninterested in the retail side of business. Esso petrol stations disappeared yonks ago, and the entire stock of company owned Mobil stations have just been flogged off to 7-Eleven. I wouldn't hold my breath on Mobil staying in the avgas business at an airport near you.

[On eyre]

Olympic Dam is BP not Shell

[NOSIGN]

avgas

spoke to a local bloke today who reckons theyre getting the tanks welded but how long it will take... who knows (prob a few months)

[tasdevil.f27]

It really is a problem for the depots, Avgas sales have dropped off around the country and if after 3 months you don't top up the storage tanks with a new load of Avgas it causes all sort of issues. If they are not selling enough to warrant a new load of Avgas then unfortunately more and more depots will remove Avgas altogether. I guess its even harder for the more remote airfields, I can't imagine a truck driver being real happy driving way out with only a few thousand litres of Avgas. I know if it wasn't for some depots selling 4 -5000 litre bulk orders then they would also be removing Avgas as sales directly into aircraft just are not enough.

[Pinky the pilot]

Let's hope that the tanks are repaired asap! Be a sad state of affairs if fuel availability there went the same way as happened at YLEC.

I wouldn't hold my breath on Mobil staying in the avgas business at an airport near you.

BP unfortunately seemed to have the same attitude in a couple of cases that I can remember.

BTW DF, Anything further on the Council possibly putting you back in business?

[5miles]

Airservices refusing to NOTAM for fuel is always a problem.

Airservices isn't responsible for maintaining fuel facilities.

If the services are not as listed in ERSA, then I suggest you contact the appropriate aerodrome operator and get them to issue a NOTAM.

[NZScion]

As a Kiwi flying in Australia, one thing that always bugged me was the lack of NOTAMs for a lack of fuel (when published in ERSA that it is available). It happens in Godzone, so why not on the West Island? Airservices are not responsible for the fuel, but they are responsible for Notices to airmen...

[Yak_slapper]

I believe you can still get fuel at Rawnsley Rark near Wilpena for those transitting through the Flinders.

[5miles]

Airservices are not responsible for the fuel, but they are responsible for Notices to airmen...

Not sure what your point is.

Do you think Airservices has personnel checking the status of every facility on every licensed aerodrome every day??

Even at controlled airports, Airservices has no involvement in the fuel services available.

The aerodrome operator is responsible for notifying the NOTAM office if services are reduced below that as per ERSA, and what they require as far as pilot notification goes.

If you consider they are not taking appropriate action, advise CASA.