$76 a gallon for 30% Heli Fuel?

[Finless]

OK this rumor has been going on that I remember since 2006.

First some history.
Angus a sub of DOW decided in 2006 to stop exporting Nitro for racing. This is old news:
http://www.dow.com/angus/news/2006/20061114k.htm
It says the will still make it and export it for Other purposes including RC fuels.

Then in 2008 Angus announced a 10% price increase...
http://www.dow.com/angus/news/2007/20071119d.htm

OK could this finally be impacting us? Maybe.... NHRA is all a buzz about a shortage. But is there really? Or is it political BS and infighting? Based on some stories is appears Don Schumacher has a large stock pile as he use to own VP Fuels. Now he wont sell it and rumors are because of some fine by the NHRA.... VP Fuels and others are all jumping around arguing!

Here are some stories about what is going on:
http://www.competitionplus.com/index...6534&Itemid=24

http://www.dragracingonline.com/anal...5-nitro-1.html

http://www.competitionplus.com/index...=6643&Itemid=6

OK so is this BS or will it effect us? Hmmmm.... Rumors all around here yesterday at the local flying field are people talking about $76 a gallon for 30% Heli fuel.....
Hmmm... Funny.... I can buy RIGHT NOW a 55 gallon drum for $190

http://www.goestores.com/catalog.asp...84910&detail=1

Anyone wanna invest?

In the end we could get screwed by this NHRA business.... I hope not!!!!

Bob

[DavidH]

Bob,
This is Methanol
http://www.goestores.com/catalog.asp...84910&detail=1
$190 for 55 gallons is about normal price for it. I can buy it in gallon quantities for about $4 a gallon.

NitroMethane is over $40 a gallon that same site.
http://www.goestores.com/catalog.asp...06889&detail=1

So at that price that would be over $13 for enough nitro to go in a gallon of 30%. Then you would need to add methanol and oil to it.

You would still need Nitro to mix with the methanol to make fuel. Unless you want to just run FAI fuel which is just Methanol and oil mixed together. No nitro.

When I was told about the nitro shortage. They also mentioned there was going to be a price increase on model fuel. How much an increase was not mentioned.

David

[Finless]

Got ya.... Too bad... I thought I had a secret supply

Well I think I may need to run to my LHS and buy like 10 cases or something NOW....
Just getting two 90's together and I don't need this! Reminds me of when I just turn 16 and bought my first car and BAM the gas shortage hit... Prices when up and we had odd/even license plate fill up days!

Bob

[CatchmyCorsair]

I hope this isn't true. $76/gal would severely hurt the nitro side of the hobby. At that price I'd go E-power in a heartbeat.

[DavidH]

I am pretty sure it is true. Was just watching NHRA today. They did a segment on the nitro shortage. It was also mentioned on there that the price has increased significantly.

David

[mewsikman]

Starting to come to the price that we in the UK have to pay for fuel.....

[AFjetmech]

Great, I can just see the LHS's jacking up fuel prices on rumors alone even though it isn't costing them any more yet! If it gets much higher than $100 a case, some cheap batteries are going to be on order and my 450 is going to see a lot more airtime.

[CatchmyCorsair]

Does anyone know Curtis Youngblood well enough to ask him about the prices?

[DavidH]

Originally Posted by CatchmyCorsair

Does anyone know Curtis Youngblood well enough to ask him about the prices?

I know Curtis well. But why would you ask him about the prices. He is not producing fuel so I don't think he would know about the cost of materials needed. His name is just being used on a fuel that is made to his specs. Wildcat makes the CY fuel.

I talk to the people at Morgan Fuel on a regular basis. Morgan produces the Cool Power, Omega, Sidewinder fuel. As well as fuel for a couple of companies that is sold with that company label on it.

As for $76 for a gallon of 30% heli fuel. It may be that nitro is now costing in the $70 a gallon range. So if you consider it takes a 1/3 of a gallon of nitro to make a gallon of 30% heli fuel. So your looking at $20 plus just for the amount of nitro to go in a gallon of 30%, then you have to add the cost of methanol and oil needed to finish the gallon.
Everything I have read thru research over the last few days has indicated the cost of nitro has increased greatly in the last 2 months. So it only sees feasible that the fuel companies will pass this cost increase along and the cost of model fuel will increase also. How much that may be is anybodies guess.

David

[Laurens]

I pay about 113 euro for a case of 30% including shipping. You'll get used to it.

[DavidH]

Originally Posted by Laurens

I pay about 113 euro for a case of 30% including shipping. You'll get used to it.

Well if it goes up here. It will get much higher in the rest of the world also. Nitro used by all the fuel companies world wide pretty much comes from the same few companies. In the USA it was Angus/Dow, And there is a couple of plants in China.

So your 113 euro a case may be in the 200 euro or more range per case in the very near future.

David

[Ecklund1]

I think this is all BS. Rampant gas prices have opened the door to this crap, even though crude oil prices or supply/demand have very little to do with Nitromethane prices. (Other than the effect it is having on general cost of transportation of goods, either to process or market). Dow is increasing prices like everyone.

http://news.dow.com/dow_news/corpora.../20080528a.htm

The effect of Dow's increase, unfortunately, affects all of us in ways we probably weren't aware due to the prevalence of their goods in the everyday products we use.

But any disproportionate rise in hobby fuel is going to be the result if smoke & mirrors and marketing tap-dance possibly fueled by false shortage rumors being spread. It's capitalizing on an opportunity for more profits.
The NHRA probably spills more Nitromethane than we use...

[Laurens]

I haven't thought about that David. 200 a case... I don't think I'll keep flying 30% if it becomes that high...

[DavidH]

Originally Posted by Laurens

I haven't thought about that David. 200 a case... I don't think I'll keep flying 30% if it becomes that high...

What fuel are you using?
I know Morgan Fuel Cool Power is used thru out Europe as is Wildcat, Magnum, Powermaster. They are made here in the USA. I know there is some fuel manufactuers in Europe also.

As for Japan and some of the other Asian countries, They have several fuel manufactuers in that part of the world. Cosmo is one of the ones in Japan I know of.

From going to the F3C WC's a couple of times. About the only fuel I saw being used, was Cool Power, Powermaster or Cosmo's or one of the other asian manufactuers. I would think the Asian manufactuers are getting there nitro from China.

Here is an interesting read regarding Nitro in NHRA here in the USA.
http://www.competitionplus.com/index...6534&Itemid=24

David

[AFjetmech]

Originally Posted by Ecklund1

But any disproportionate rise in hobby fuel is going to be the result if smoke & mirrors and marketing tap-dance possibly fueled by false shortage rumors being spread. It's capitalizing on an opportunity for more profits.
The NHRA probably spills more Nitromethane than we use...

Exactly why small end users like us will be the ones getting screwed. We can't buy enough in bulk for any real savings so whoever is selling this liquid gold has us by the balls.

[mcomet]

Yay for Electric Heli's...,maybe someone should develop a "Hybrid Heli" ... it could recycle power when you auto-rotate... ok just kidding.

[Ecklund1]

Oh, by the way, don't take what I said in reference to the NHRA the wrong way.

Make no mistake. There are few experiences in life more exhilarating than FEELING two Top Fuel Dragsters launch on green from within 50 yards...

Simply; Wuh.

[DavidH]

Originally Posted by Ecklund1

Oh, by the way, don't take what I said in reference to the NHRA the wrong way.

Make no mistake. There are few experiences in life more exhilarating than FEELING two Top Fuel Dragsters launch on green from within 50 yards...

Simply; Wuh.

Yeah being in the seat when it launches is more exhilarating than watching them launch. LOL

David

[Ecklund1]

Originally Posted by DavidH

Yeah being in the seat when it launches is more exhilarating than watching them launch. LOL

David

Indeed. That is one of the few that qualify.

[r2160]

You guys should consider yourself lucky.

Here in Aus we are paying $240 a case for 30% coolpower. That equates near enough to $230US a case.

We still fly nitro

cheers
Glenn