Jet Fuel

[Andy4124]

I have found a company that sells Jet A1 premixed!! Not going to mention any names!!!

They sell it at about £2.00 per litre........ Is it me or is that a total rip off.

Jet A1 sells at less than petrol and is tax exempt!!!!!!!! Cant understand it.

[chopper jockey]

Jet A1 fuel is available in the UK from airports at 58p per litre, but they may not sell it to you unless you have an aircraft or "know" someone that works there. Then you need to source the turbine oil. If you do all this yourself you can do it for a cost of say...... 20 ltrs jetA = less than £12. then a litre of turbine oil (5%) for about £8. that works out about £1 a litre and you must provide a suitable container and collect it yourself.

Of course if you want to buy the proper stuff ready packaged, then someone has to buy suitable containers and packaging, fit the correct health and safety labels and handle the fuel and advertise it. That costs time, manpower and money. It`s a product for those who don`t wish to do it themselves and no one is forcing you to buy it. :)
In the summer why not use kerosene, it`s somewhat cheaper. I advise against using kerosene in the winter though.

[Heli_jack]

In the summer why not use kerosene, it`s somewhat cheaper. I advise against using kerosene in the winter though.

Why? Had/have never heard that before.
Jack

[chopper jockey]

I`m a fullsize pilot, in our limitations, it is sometimes practiced to use kerosene in the summer because it`s cheaper and low risk to waxing due to warm ambient temperatures. JetA1 however has anti icing additives and reduces the fuel iceing point to a lower ambient temperature. Especially applicable in a cold winter. :)

[cbergen]

While that may be true, if you are out flying in weather cold enough to compare with the temps at high altitude, Well, you are braver than I am!!

http://www.chevron.com/products/prodserv/fuels/bulletin/aviationfuel/4_at_fuel_comp.shtm

"Fuel System Icing Inhibitor

Ice can form in fuel tanks at the very low temperatures encountered at high altitude. Generally, this ice is formed from water that was dissolved in the fuel when it was loaded onto the aircraft but separated from the fuel as the fuel temperature dropped. Most commercial aircraft have heaters on their main fuel filters to melt any ice that is collected. However, many military aircraft do not have these heaters and are susceptible to reduced fuel flow if ice crystals form.
Fuel system icing inhibitors (FSII, pronounced "fizzy") work by combining with any free water that forms and lowering the freezing point of the mixture so that no ice crystals are formed.


The only FSII currently approved for Jet A, Jet A-1, and U.S.military fuels is di-ethylene glycol monomethylether (di-EGME). A similar compound, ethylene glycol monoethylether, is allowed in Russian TS-1 fuel.
di-EGME is only slightly soluble in fuel but is very soluble in water, which leads to various handling problems. Since the additive is only slightly soluble in fuel, it must be added in small amounts with good mixing to ensure that it is completely dissolved in the fuel, especially when it is added at low ambient temperatures. In practice, the additive must be injected at a controlled rate into a flowing stream of fuel.
di-EGME



If a fuel containing FSII comes into contact with free water, the additive will be extracted out of the fuel and form a thick, gelatinous phase with the water, an obviously unacceptable situation. To avoid contact with free water, FSII is usually not added to fuel at a refinery but at some point in the fuel distribution system. For the military, it may be added at the airport or on delivery to the aircraft itself. Similarly, when required by small jets, it may be added during delivery to the aircraft. FSII is not used in jet fuel by large commercial carriers. "

[dperry]

In the US what Chris is talking about is commonly know as PRIST which is added when fueling. The King Airs we fly have fuel controller heaters to help prevent freezing

[Heli_jack]

Ok, so if I an not dealing with freezing temps, it makes no difference to my flying?

[chopper jockey]

If I fly my fullsize 500 in temps below 7 deg.C with signs of moisture in the air, I must add heat to the compressor to prevent the turbine from iceing up. This reduces the risk of freezing, moist air entering the turbine.
This is why I will only use JetA below 7 deg C and never Kerosene. Don`t confuse engine iceing with fuel iceing :)

[Heli_jack]

Well I guess we will see, we get that cold and humid here, I rarely fly in much cold, my fingers don't like it. Well..... my ears hate it too.

So what are signs of turbine icing?

[heliman53]

Sudden silence?

[chopper jockey]

I don`t know and I hope I never find out the hard way :wink: