CALLOUT FEE COBAR

[Desert Flower]

Lets say the refueler lives 10k or so from Airport.
He has to put on PPE, drive to airport, get the tuck out, deliver the fuel, complete paperwork, put the truck away, secure the yard, drive home. Not to mention the DAMP requirements for 0.0 BAC which effectively means if he / she is on call, they can never have a drink.

YJPT, you summed it up nicely. And it depends on whether the refueller is on a salary or gets paid on a commission basis like I did - a lousy 5c a litre. That was about as far as I had to drive for an a/h callout, so you can see that if someone rocked up in a Jabiru & only wanted 20 litres I would be well & truly out of pocket if I didn't ask for a callout fee. I never charged more than $30:00, if additional aircraft turned up while I was dealing with the first one then the fee was split between them, & I always offered a receipt for the amount if required.
I never charged callout fees to the RFDS or any medical flights such as the Qld Government jet which used to drop in on its way to W.A. to pick up an organ for transplant, the Police Airwing, any search & rescue aircraft or military aircraft either.

DF.

[Jack Ranga]

alkel, driven by me? You think? If the so called 'call out fee' was included in the price of the fuel we'd all share the cost wouldn't we? It is more than likely driven by a bludger who owns the concession that doesn't pay a wage but relies on enticing a worker with the offer of a 'lucrative' $80 for hour an hours work, cash, wink, wink

I've got a bit under 10 hours endurance in mine, you won't find me planning anywhere that lines the pockets of the likes of you matey

[alkell]

Yeah let's make all sites 24 hours a day Jack, just add 50 cents plus a litre to your current costs.

I'm the one who gets stuck chasing callout fees, I'd prefer not to have them, they don't line my pockets at all.

Feel free to wait for posted hours, I'm sure we'll all be happier.

We do the best we can for emergency services and still we get the whingers.

[Jack Ranga]

50 cents a litre?

I didn't make comment about emergency services. Call it a whinge if you wish, like I said, I don't pay call out fees.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

I've got a bit under 10 hours endurance in mine, you won't find me planning anywhere that lines the pockets of the likes of you matey

So why bother posting seven times on this thread?

Dr

[Capt Claret]

All this gum-gnashing alleging refuelers are thieves for charging a call out fee from a group where is is not unknown for allowance claims to be fiddled, or CI reduced when on OT, just to get one more gold shekel in the pay packet!

[Jack Ranga]

Why post? I'm a little annoyed with the continual gouge of this industry. Not everybody can claim these expenses. I've got several students who throw their hands in the air when confronted with these charges. It's not just one or two charges. Would you like me to list them?

It wasn't like this when I began to fly, the service isn't any better now that there a multitude of new charges so why accept it? Because you are charging them indirectly to someone else?

That's why.

[morno]

Why should someone not charge you a callout fee if you ring them at 9pm at night when they're home and ready for bed?

I'm lucky in that I fall into the category that most refuellers won't charge the callout fee to. But when it's 3am, it's 4 degree's, or it's pouring rain in the wet season, and I've just woken this poor bugger up to come and throw 500L's of fuel on, I sometimes wish they would just charge the fee to the company.

I bet if you called a plumber at that hour, they're sure as hell not just going to charge you the normal rate.

If we have to call an engineer in on a weekend or public holiday, or at night, they charge a higher rate.

Where's the problem?

morno

[Jack Ranga]

Because it's their job.

You're not calling a plumber.

You're not calling an engineer.

[Jack Ranga]

Dumb business people with stupid, lazy business practices. Driving people away instead of adding value to a service.

No call out fee when I lobbed at Oodnadatta, bought sandwiches drinks and supplies for 4 people when I was there. Planned back through there when I knew how good the service was.

I will actively plan around these dumb clowns. Australians would have to be the laziest fools doing business. They would also have to be the dumbest consumers.

[morno]

It's their job between the stated hours

[Jack Ranga]

So the Cobar dood sits at the airport between the hours of 9-5 refueling aircraft? Must be a busy place? Whomever draws up his contract must be a bit dense if he's not constantly got that nozzle in a fuel tank between those hours?

[morno]

From the ERSA - Oodnadatta - AH Service Fee Applies.

How's that any different to Cobar?

[YPJT]

Geez Jack, have you got it off your chest now? Don't think I need to tell you how much those little rants are going to achieve

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

Make that eleven!

[Jack Ranga]

12.

They're not rants bro if you knew anything about me you'd know that I don't sit at home stewing about this stuff

I do like a bit of value for money spent. Having experienced value elsewhere I can tell you you're being had. So long as you're happy with it, pay the man

[Old Akro]

Dumb business people with stupid, lazy business practices.

Nearly as bad as dumb lazy pilots. Part of any trip going to remote-ish areas is fuel planning. Deciding where to refuel. Which airports have bowsers, which brands, are they 24 hour swipe. Figuring out if you have what you need to buy fuel - carnet / visa card / cash. Planning how your arrival time fits with the airport's fuel arrangements. I used to plan to arrive at Olympic Dam when the Shell fuel handlers were still there.

JR - this probably isn't actually the guy's job. Not many places sell enough Avgas for someone to live off the proceeds. The refueller probably has a real job in town that he needs to leave when you call him (or her; DF) out.

But specifically for Cobar, reference to ERSA tells us that the call out fee only applies AH. It also notes that the fuel is provided by Aero Refuellers who have a 24 Hr swipe bowser. Aero refuellers are really easy to deal with. I just don't understand why you would fly through regional NSW without one of their carnet's.

So, if the pilot a) plans to fuel at Cobar without checking the fuel availability (ie reading ERSA), b) requires fuel after hours and c) hasn't had the foresight to arrange a carnet for the 24 Hr swipe bowser then an $85 call out fee looks pretty reasonable to me.

As for the $2.60 per litre, that's about a 12% premium over capital city prices. Its an ugly price, but for the costs of getting it to Cobar and dealing with our byzantine AVGAS regulations, 12% is not too bad and may be comparable with the price premium of Mogas in the township

[Stationair8]

Hey Jack Ranga the Cobar refueller said to ask your DAME at your next medical for some Viagra eye drops!

Any truth in the rumour that Jet A-1 price varies by 30 cents a litre on along the J curve at the moment.

Cheapest fuel is ex Sydney?

[rammel]

I'd phone ahead if going to Oodnadatta. ERSA says they have fuel, but last time I called (about 3 weeks ago) I was told that there is no fuel there at the moment.

[Jack Ranga]

13.

I think you're all missing my point, I'm so misunderstood (I'm so ronery, so ronery)

I'm so sorry for having a contrary point of view.................nah, f@rk that, not sorry at all