I suspect that's much less of a problem than you imagine.

That pic of a Maule with a diesel would be a wonderful plane. They are a really tough one, maybe the MB of the air.

Local guy here has one and lands in all kinds of unimproved areas.

r

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1985 300SD
1998 Jetta TDI
Previous: lots of diesel VW's, MB's, KW's, Pete, Freightliner


Walking isn't a lost art: one must, by some means, get to the garage.

Got my private ticket in June 1993. Have flown very little since 2000, just enought to stay current. Always something that's more important to do with the money. My plan is to stay current and somewhat proficient and when the kids are all out of the house I can get back into it a little more.

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1983 M-B 240D-Gone too.
1976 M-B 300D-Departed.

"Good" is the worst enemy of "Great".

I have a licence, but wasn't using it enough to feel safe with my proficiancy, maybe someday when I have more free time and money I'll get back into it and get insrument rated.

These guys make an aviation TDI, the same one used by Diamond.

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1972 280SE 4.5

Gelling is exactly the reason.

A blimp doesnīt go high enough to make any difference. For that matter, a flying horse could be used to pull one and without supplemental oxygen.

I spent 17 years flying airplanes for a living, both freight and passengers. Boxes are great; they donīt give you any grief.

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Don't Chrome them; polish them

For that matter, a flying horse could be used to pull one and without supplemental oxygen.

I spent 17 years flying airplanes for a living, both freight and passengers. Boxes are great; they donīt give you any grief.[/QUOTE]

Flying horse... now that's a good idea. Would they have to wear diapers? Or, just poop where ever?

I drove trucks for 10 years and had friends try to get me into tour busses...no thanks. Never had a complaint from a load of sheetrock or steel.

I have an SE Instrument rating but haven't flown since 96. I just keep the airport operating now.
Best job i've ever had.
r

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1985 300SD
1998 Jetta TDI
Previous: lots of diesel VW's, MB's, KW's, Pete, Freightliner


Walking isn't a lost art: one must, by some means, get to the garage.

Several years ago I read somewhere that a company was doing an aviation conversion of the VW TDI engine. It was getting some attention in Europe, where avgas is very expensive. As I understand it soaring clubs were particularly interested in it as a potential towplane engine. Besides the economy benefits, being liquid-cooled it had the potential for fewer temperature cycling problems compared to air-cooled engines. (Towplane engines tend to crack cylinder castings easily due to shock cooling. They get hot during a long climb at full throttle; if the pilot closes the throttle and descends too rapidly the sudden rush of cool air causes uneven contraction. In a liquid-cooled engine the thermostat would just close.)

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1981 Mercedes 300TD, 1994 Honda Civic Del Sol
http://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/67195.pnghttp://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/103885.png

I have a couple hours logged. Ran out of time ambition and money

I actually soloed in gliders at one point, but then I moved and didn't have a reasonably nearby place to continue.

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1981 Mercedes 300TD, 1994 Honda Civic Del Sol
http://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/67195.pnghttp://mefi.us/images/fuelly/smallsig-us/103885.png

If I had run out of ambition about 6,000 hrs ago, I might not be out of money now!!! Wish I had known then that fuel was going up 1500%.

I've got about 600 hours in a Piper Cherokee 180 that the family owned when I was in college. I have not flown in years and typically don't travel far enough away from home to need to fly.

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Jim

The engine in the Maule runs on JET FUEL.
(AVAILABLE almost anywhere)

So,the Gelling is a lot less of a concern.

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'84 300SD sold
124.128

Private pilot for 20 years, 900+ hrs, SE Land. Like others I just do not have the time/opportunity/money to continue. I do keep current, but not much more. Based OBI.

Roberto, I would think airport mgr is a great job. I remember the mgr of Blanding, UT. What an outpost, he went to town once a month for provisions. Mostly tour planes refueling were his customers. I would like to see more traffic & people than that.
Too bad the Diamond diesel did not pan out. Was not accepted by maint personnel and had a freq. oil chg or something?? I once flew a Diamond with a Rotex engine, nice but small plane, good trainer.

Good Luck in your endeavors. Never been into your airport, but have overflown it getting to Lordsburg via Demming, from Santa Fe.

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Gary
Experience is something you get, Just after you needed it....
'99 E300 295K, '83 300D 220K, '75 240D 185K sold
'80 MCI Bus Conv DD 6V92TA, w/4 cyl. Kubota diesel GenSet 12.5KW

I thought jet fuel was pretty much the same a diesel...it does not gel?

Or is that the difference?

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Think clear kerosene. I don't think that stuff gels. Jet A, I believe is what it's called. Jet exhaust smells a lot cleaner than an old MB diesel. At least it does when it is being burned efficiently and not at full power.

We had a thread in diesel where I was lambasted for not remembering the maximum percentage of gasoline that could be introduced into the diesel fuel in sub freezing conditions. Kerosene would naturally be the A-1 choice. I was vindicated, though I don't have the old MB diesel owners manual I read it in - it went with the old SD I sold in 1999.