Contract Fuel

[El Bucho]

We have fuel accounts with Colt, Merucry, etc. One of my buddies just told me about Best Fuel. Anybody know anything about this and how their prices compare with Colt, Mercury, etc? www.bestaero.com is their website. Any info appreciated. Thanks in advance.


EB

 

[Flying Illini]

This probably isn't much help (actually I'm sure it isn't), but this is my experience:


We have a BEST card for every aircraft, along with a COLT card. When we go to places that accept both it seems that COLT is the best price maybe 55% of the time. It's seems like it's a toss up. Of course, I don't end up getting the final bills so I can't really give much more info than how often we use the cards.

 

[TimsKeeper]

If you are 91 only look into Coporate Aircraft Association.

on a small king air it saved quite a bit running around the country.

 

[P3-Adub]

Check out Fuelauthority.com This is a web based fuel price/program comparison program in its infancy. Super easy to use and a quick check before trips saves a lot of time. Cons - does not compare all programs. With enough users they will add other programs.

 

[TaxiDriver]

You might want to look at Elite Aviation's fuel program which is available to Part 91 aircraft. They have their own fuel cards in addition to a MasterCard. They have a staff that solely shops all the wholesale companies along with their own fuel contracts with several nationwide FBO's. I think they have close to 200+ aircraft on their fuel program.

There is more info on their web site:

www.eliteaviation.com

 

[Headwind]

We use CAA now. I checked the prices on Best Aero and they were more at most places by about 20 cents. Anyone out there who uses CAA in addition to other programs like Colt, Mercury, etc. please fill me in.

Thanks,
HEADWIND

 

[Publishers]

contract fuel

Here is the deal on contract fuel. They go to the FBO and say they can bring it business and agree to an into plane price structure, usually based on the various volume cutoffs. The margin stays the same but the cost of fuel changes regularly therefore price changes that you see may relate to the day you look and whether or not that particular company changes price on what particular day.

Every once in a while, Colt or someone else may run special prices --by time or for special customers.

Most airline sized equipment use Mariah, or other contract fuel companies. World would fall under both as they do so much arranging on foreign trips. Sometimes you can make just as good of deal dealing directly with the FBO, expecially if you have a fuel hog.

At the major fuel companies, they have entities that deal with the FBO's but also commercial departments for huge accounts. They may have an entirely different deal as well.

Check around, there is no all the time way of being the lowest.

 

[kilroy]

We use Bluestem,Avfuel,Phillips ,World,Colt, and avfuel......

 

[mike1mc]

We use WorldFuel (BaseOps), Mercury, AvFuel, and COLT. I've been signed up with BestAero for 2 years and have never used them because someone always bets them out on pricing.

 

[smellthejeta]

Sometimes you can make just as good of deal dealing directly with the FBO, expecially if you have a fuel hog.

It's definitely worth dealing directly with the FBO if you will be a high volume customer. It doesn't have to be a big bird -- even something like a challenger that you will do x-c trips with will get their attention. An FBO worth their salt would much, much, rather sell you fuel at heavily discounted retail rates than have you do the same business through a contract arrangement. Remember, a contract arrangement also includes an above cost markup so the wholesaler can make some money as well.