Suppose 100LL Gasoline was No Longer Available...

What do you suppose would happen to the current value of big engined warbirds if 100 octane gasoline was no longer available and they were no longer able to do anything more than maybe just fire up and taxi around? Would the prices drop, stay the same, keep going up?

Over to the floor.

[HarvardIV]

They'd make synthetic gas.

[srpatterson]

It's a non-issue, as avgas is going to be available as long as people want to buy it.

Heck, at Reno the trucks are full of purple 115/145 octane fuel. If there's a market, then the petroleum companies will make the product.

Well, I don't know. The avgas market is pretty small compared to mogas and jet fuel, plus there's been alot of talk about this 82UL fuel. I know some of the operators up here where I work are a little concerned. The DC-3 apparently will be able to handle the lower grade fuel (albeit at a power penalty) but it'll be the end of the R2800s and R2000s. That 115/145 that gets cranked out for Reno every year is only a small but expensive batch.

Anyway, be that as it may, what do you think would happen to the aircraft value, being no longer able to fly?

[happymeal]

According to Shell representatives in OSH last year, AvGas 100 LL represent less than 1% of their overall gas production. Add to this that only 2 plants are still producing the lead required in that fuel - their used to be 25 of thoses plants only ten years ago. Where is the economic value their ?

[airnutz]

Well, maybe it's inevitable..we have Spitfire Ale, maybe it's time for
Homebrew Hi-Test? A WIX Warbird Wefinery???

[spookyboss]

We operate an AC-47 and if the time comes we can use 87 octane by adjusting the mags and reducing power. The goony bird is the Greatest large Warbird flying. It will most likely be the last of the big round engine airplanes flying 50 years from now !!!