AVSIG Mini Gig
I belong to and participate in AVSIG (Aviation Special Interest Group), the oldest pilot forum online. It is an endless source of information and recreation.
“AVSiggers” get together when possible to eat, swap lies, and perhaps imbibe a bit of adult beverages. These get togethers are called “gigs.” A small gig is called a mini gig. This week a member from Arkansas came to our area on a business trip and several of us arranged a mini gig for barbecue right across the street from the Asheville, NC, airport. And damned good barbecue it was, too.
Our Arkansas friend flew over in his lovely and well-equipped Turbo Saratoga. For a fuel stop he selected from the AOPA airport directory a smallish airport that supposedly was attended during the day, but offered self-service fueling. He landed, found no attendant, tried the self fueling but the credit-card machine didn’t work. He left, and had to make another stop elsewhere.
This is one of the most frustrating experiences in aviation. It hurts the pilot badly, particularly at today’ fuel prices. It hurts AOPA as publisher of the airport directory. It adds to general aviation travel a degree of uncertainty our industry can ill afford.
Our friend was not joyriding. He was headed for a tradeshow where he and employees of his firm were to set up an exhibit that was very important to the company. This was a business trip. An extra fuel stop takes time, of course. Some people say it is impossible to stop for fuel in less than an hour. I’ve done it faster than that, but not much faster and not often.
Finally, of course, an incident like this hurts the airport and the fuel seller. Although my friend is an easy-going fellow, I wonder if he will ever again stop at that airport. Would you?
BTW, we were a group of four. Only one of us partook of the adult beverages. Two of us had to drive some distance afterwards, and another was driving a motorcycle. The fourth person, who was the passenger of the designated driver of his car, did enjoy the specialty beer of the house. I was proud of us.
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Sean–
You are the ultimate “Mr. Nice Guy!”
Thanks so much for writing.
Ralph Hood
Hi Dave. I’m the pilot Ralph is talking about in this story. You’re right of course - stopping at a small field deserves a call-ahead to verify, and I could have done that. I didn’t, but if it had been a critical stop from a time or fuel capacity standpoint I would have. I’m not particularly “upset” with this airport, but thought that it was a tale worth telling.
Prior to living in Arkansas, where I’m at a fully-staffed, towered field, I was based at a small airport in Indiana. We had self-serve fuel and “full time” staffing, but just one fellow - probably similar to the situation of the airport in question here. He might have errands to run, which would leave the field unattended. However he also left FlightAware running in a window on his computer, and he would NOT leave the field if he had an incoming flight. This airport apparently wasn’t watching for IFR arrivals.
As I said, I’d have called if it was a critical stop. I still had my planned 40 gallons in the wings when I stopped, so it was no big deal to hop over to another field, and we weren’t in a big hurry. So I guess it was a case of whether they need my business more than I need their fuel.
Dave–
By golly, you make sense on every point. Good advice.
Thanks for writing,
Ralph Hood
Let the buyer beware…
FBOs at small airports are getting hammered. Itinerant GA traffic is way down at many due to fuel costs. Many find they have to cut back staffing. Many have such low volume they aren’t aware when their self-fuel credit card machine stops working. I’ve even reported this malfunction at large, high volume GA airports like DPA near Chicago.
I don’t know of any publisher of airport information who has the staff to keep up with all prices and operations at every airport in real time. Perhaps pilots need to a assertive in reporting changes or errors in publications to the publishers.
Perhaps pilots need to be assertive in calling ahead to verify the level of services expected and the expected time of arrival and departure. I do this even for my “$100 hamburger” runs on the weekends. It’s part of my standard flight planning and familiarizing myself with all aspects of the flight and the airports of intended landing.