FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1980
1980 - 0870.PDF
832 FLIGHT International, 15 March 1980 Private [FHOLUKTU" Official organ of the Royal Aero Club Refinery fire hits US Avgas A REFINERY fire in Texas has led to serious Avgas shortages and higher prices in central and south-west US. The situation is unlikely to improve until mid-April, and may not return to normal until late this year. Loss of one refinery would not normally cause such widespread disruption of supplies, but Phillips Petroleum's refinery at Borger was producing about 25 per cent of America's Avgas, and supplying other refineries. About 90 per cent of the company's Avgas production was at Borger. Few fixed-base operators in Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska have adequate supplies and 65 airfields were completely out of fuel recently. In other areas some airfields are limit ing sales to 10 gal per engine, and Notams have been issued accordingly. Some fixed-base operators have gone to the open market, resulting in steep price increases to $1 • 95 a gallon in some cases. Phillips is trying to increase supplies by working with other refiners and increasing produc tion from its refinery at Sweeney, Texas. The company hopes to process about 50 per cent of its normal crude oil quantity at Borger by late this month and to increase this to 100 per cent by the end of April. But normal Avgas supply cannot be restored by then as an essential part of the refinery was badly damaged. Fewer US accidents THE GA accident rate in the US was down last year, according to National Transportation Safety Board figures. Reasons for this have not yet been established. Preliminary figures for 1979 show that total GA accidents fell by 6 per cent, from 4,494 in 1978 to 4,238; the lowest figure since 4,193 in 1976. Fatal accidents fell by 17 per cent, from 793 in '1978 to 658 last year. This is the lowest since 641 in 1970. Deaths resulting from those accidents fell from 1,770 in 1978 (in cluding 142 killed in the San Diego Boeing 727/Cessna 172 collision) to 1,311 last year. In 1979 there were 10-6 total acci dents per 100,000 flying hours, a decrease of 7 per cent from 1978. Accident rates have shown a gradual reduction over the last ten years, while flying hours increased last year. The RAF Gliding and Soaring Association has celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Chipmunk's entry into RAF service by completing the third conversion to a 180 h.p. Lycoming powerplant. G-AOTF was once a crop-sprayer—hence its single-seat configuration—and joins the other two Lycoming-powered Chipmunks at Bicester, Oxon, on glider-towing duties GA airfield threatened IF you're paranoic enough you might think that those associated with light aircraft suffer as a persecuted people. This time an anti-airfield brigade ap pears to be arming itself against one of the most picturesque country air fields in the UK—Compton Abbas, 15 miles south-west of Salisbury, Wilts, close to the Dorset border. This is the home of Air Compton, which carries out flying training, charter work and aircraft mainten ance. Managing director Alan Curtis acquired the airfield in 1975. It had been Dorset Flying and Gliding Club's base for several years. Operations have steadily grown and Air Comp ton now includes a CAA-approved school for private licences, ratings and instructor courses. It has 200 fly ing club members and 14 aircraft, including three used on local charter work. Club aircraft range from Cessnas to two Tiger Moths and the only civilian Bulldog. Another 12 air craft, including crop-sprayers, are based there. It now seems likely that local coun cils are going to serve a Discontinu ance Order on the airfield. Complaints involve noise, nuisance and a claim that the airfield is out of keeping with the environment. But when airfield buildings and other facilities were taken over by Air Compton, Alan Curtis says, they were developed in close consultation with the councils of the day. The Association for the Protection of Compton Abbas Airfield (APCAA) is now being formed. The address of Compton Abbas airfield is Ashmore, Salisbury, Wilts SP5 5AP, and the APCAA secretary is Colin Hoare, 11 Nutmead Close, Childe Okeford, Blandford, Dorset. Those interested in supporting the airfield are also urged to write to the Chief Executive, North Dorset District Council, Nordon, Salisbury Road, Blandford Forum, Dorset. The last time we mentioned this sort of threat to a UK airfield was in 1977, when we were glad to report that both Headcorn, Kent, and Doncaster had won reprieves. We hope that we will be able to say the same about Comip- ton Abbas. This picture of Shoreham Airport was taken after a wet spell last month and shows the airfield's real need for a tarmac "winter strip", the subject of a current public inquiry. Shoreham, said to be the oldest licensed airfield in the UK, is the base for 140 aircraft, and is used by 280 different business aircraft a year. Scheduled services run daily to the Channel Islands and Dieppe. Local inhabitants apparently fear a major expansion, although the strip under question is only 760m long
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
