Cheapgasitis

In their older years, my parents were cheapskates. When I visited them in their Southern Texas retirement community, they always were delighted to share their favorite places, those with senior discounts, dollar-breakfast specials and cheap all-you-can-eat buffets. The same proved true when buying unleaded: I thought it odd they would drive six miles round-trip to save $0.05 a gallon. After my father filled his tank, I asked how much he had put in. Twelve gallons, he answered; he just saved 60 cents. I pointed out it took us 15 minutes to save 60 cents, so he was paying himself about $2.40 an hour...just a little observation. His answer was: 1) he’s retired, so he likes saving money, 2) polite people keep their math to themselves, and, 3) nobody likes a smart ass.

Key Takeaways:

• Many pilots exhibit extreme frugality when buying avgas, often prioritizing the lowest price, which the article suggests elevates frugality to an "art form."
• This pursuit of cheaper fuel frequently serves as an unstated root cause for preventable fuel exhaustion accidents, leading pilots to make risky decisions such as departing with insufficient fuel or diverting into adverse weather.
• While modern flight planning tools enable optimizing routes for fuel cost, the author advocates for prioritizing safety by being willing to pay more for full tanks, as they provide critical options and enhance overall flight safety.

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