What fuel is used in airplanes?

Question

and how much it costs

Answer 1

For pure jets and turboprop aircraft:

The most common fuel worldwide is a kerosene/paraffin oil-based fuel classified as JET A-1, which is produced to an internationally standardized set of specifications. In the United States only, a version of JET A-1 known as JET A is also used.

The only other jet fuel that is commonly used in civilian aviation is called JET B. JET B is a fuel in the naptha-kerosene region that is used for its enhanced cold-weather performance. However, JET B's lighter composition makes it more dangerous to handle, and it is thus restricted only to areas where its cold-weather characteristics are absolutely necessary.

Militaries around the world use a different classification system of JP numbers. Some are almost identical to their civilian counterparts and differ only by the amounts of a few additives; JET A-1 is similar to JP-8, JET B is similar to JP-4.

Other military fuels are highly specialized products and are developed for very specific applications. JP-5 fuel is fairly common, and was introduced to reduce the risk of fire on aircraft carriers.

Other fuels were specific to one type of aircraft. JP-6 was developed specifically for the XB-70 Valkyrie and JP-7 for the SR-71 Blackbird. Both these fuels were engineered to have a high flash point to better cope with the heat and stresses of high speed supersonic flight.

One aircraft-specific jet fuel still in use by the USAF is JPTS, which was developed in 1956 for the Lockheed U-2 spy plane.

Jet fuels are sometimes classified as kerosene or naphtha-type. Kerosene-type fuels include Jet A, Jet A1, JP-5 and JP-8. Naphtha-type jets fuels include Jet B and JP-4.

For non-turbine-engined, propeller-driven aircraft, AVGAS (aviation gasoline) is the most common fuel, followed by MOGAS (automotive "motor gasoline", which is the everyday gasoline used in cars) and diesel.

Avgas is a high-octane fuel used for aircraft and, in the past, racing cars. Avgas is only used in aircraft that use piston engines and Wankel rotaries that are not diesel.

Gasoline used for aviation fuel is indicated with a number representing the aviation lean octane rating which is more commonly called the Motor Octane Number (MON) by itself or the aviation lean octane rating followed by rich rating separated by a slash.

100LL, spoken as "100 low lead", contains a lead based anti-knock compound but less than other "leaded" fuels. Most piston aircraft engines require 100LL but it is scheduled to be phased out in the United States because of the lead toxicity.

An alternative fuel has not yet been developed for these engines. While there are similar engines that burn non-leaded fuels aircraft are often purchased with engines that use 100LL because many airports only have 100LL. 100LL contains a maximum of 2 grams of lead per US gallon, or maximum 0.56 grams/litre and is the most commonly available and used aviation gasoline.

82UL is an unleaded fuel similar to automobile gasoline but without additives. It may be used in aircraft that have a Supplemental Type Certificate for the use of automobile gasoline with an aviation lean octane rating (MON) of 82 or less or an antiknock index of 87 or less.

It may not be used in engines that require 100LL. See Octane Rating. The FAA highly recommends installing placards stating the use of 82UL is or is not approved on those airplanes that specify unleaded autogas as an approved fuel.

Gasoline (MOGAS) may be used in aircraft that have a Supplemental Type Certificate for automotive gasoline.

Avgas 80/87 has the lowest lead content at a maximum of 0.5 grams lead per US gallon, and is only used in very low compression ratio engines.

Avgas 100/130 is a higher octane grade aviation gasoline, containing a maximum of 4 grams of lead per US gallon, maximum 1.12 grams/litre. 100LL "low lead" was designed to replace avgas 100/130.

In the past other grades were also available, particularly for military use, such as avgas 115/145. Note that the octanes of avgas cannot be directly compared to those of mogas, as a different test engine and method is used to determine the octane.

The first (lower) number is the lean mixture rating, the second (higher) number is the rich mixture rating. For mogas, the octane rating is typically expressed as an anti-knock index, which is the average of the octane rating based on the research and motor test method ((R+M)/2).

To aid pilots in identifying the fuel in their aircraft, dyes are added to the fuel. 80/87 is red, 100/130 is green, and 100LL is blue, while jet fuel, JET A1, is clear or straw, being undyed. Untaxed diesel fuel for off-road use is also dyed red which has resulted in contamination leading to engine damage and death.

I'll skip describing MOGAS, diesel and kerosene, since all are in comparatively common use.

As for price, it varies, but at retail, aviation fuels are generally more than twice (and sometimes *several times*) as expensive as their automotive counterparts.

In the old days, you could visit (or call) the airport to get aviation fuel price figures, and ordinary folk could buy small qualtities for personal use that might not have necessarily been related to aviation. With the so-called "anti-terrorism" measures nowadays, though, such purchases are probably illegal.

Answer 2

Aviation gasoline in piston-engine aircraft and jet fuel in turboprops and jets. Avgas is about $5 a gallon and jet fuel is about six bucks a gallon. Avgas is differnt than car gas because it has a lower "vapor pressure" than car gas and it has to be very pure. If car gas were used in an airplane, it would evaporate very quickly at altitude and you'd run out of gas far before you got to where you wanted to go. Avgas does not evaporate so quickly at altitude; i.e, it has a lower "vapor pressure" than car gas. Jet fuel (JP-4, JP-8, et cetera) is basically very, very, very pure kerosene. Aviation fuels have to be very pure and very clean because if dirty fuel were to cause an engine stoppage up there, you just can't coast to the side of the road and call for a tow truck...

Answer 3

Jet Fuel!

Answer 4

It depends on the type of airplane. Propeller driven aircraft use various type of gasoline with different octane ratings. Jet aircraft use a mixture of kerosene and gasoline in different ratios. Price depends on type of fuel and area.

Answer 5

Jet Fuel and I'm sure there is no set price for it just like our gas.

Answer 6

jet fuel sparky
not sure about the price

Answer 7

Jet fuel, and as I remember, it is about 120 octane. These days, I have no idea what gas prices are from day to day.

Answer 8

Jet Fuel and it's takes alot to get it up.

Answer 9

(m)

Aviation Fuel is a specialized type of petroleum-based fuel used to power aircraft; it is generally of a higher quality than fuels used in less critical applications such as heating or road transport, and often contains additives to reduce the risk of icing or explosion due to high temperatures, amongst other properties.

Most Aviation Fuel available for aircraft are kinds of gasoline used in engines with spark plugs i.e. piston engines and Wankel rotaries or fuel for jet turbine engines which is also used in diesel aircraft engines. Alcohol, alcohol mixtures and other alternative fuels may be used experimentally but are not generally available.

Avgas is sold in much lower volumes, but to many more individual aircraft, whereas Jet Fuel is sold in high volumes to large aircraft operated typically by airlines, military and large corporate aircraft.

Aviation fuel is often dispensed from a truck or bowser which is driven up to parked airplanes and helicopters. Some airports have pumps similar to filling stations that aircraft must taxi up to. Some extremely large airports also have permanent piping to parking areas for large aircraft.

Regardless of the method, aviation fuel is transferred to an aircraft via one of two methods: overwing and underwing. Overwing fuelling is used on smaller planes, helicopters, and all piston-engine aircraft. Overwing fuelling is similar to automobile fuelling — one or more gas ports are opened and fuel is pumped in with a conventional pump. Underwing fuelling, also called single-point, is used on larger aircraft and for jet fuel exclusively. For single-point fuelling, a high-pressure hose is attached and fuel is pumped in at up to 50 PSI. Since there is only one attachment point, fuel distribution between tanks is either automated or it is controlled from a control panel at the fueling point or in the cockpit. As well, dead man's switch is used to control fuel flow.

Because of the danger of confusing the fuel types, a number of precautions are taken to distinguish between AvGas and Jet Fuel beyond clearly marking all containers, vehicles, and piping. AvGas is treated with either a red, green, or blue dye, and is dispensed from nozzles with a diameter of 40 millimeters (49 millimeters in the USA). The aperture on fuel tanks of piston-engined aircraft cannot be greater than 60 millimeters in diameter. Jet Fuel is clear to straw in color, and is dispensed from a special nozzle called a "J spout" that has a rectangular opening larger than 60 millimeters in diameter so as not to fit into AvGas ports. However, some jet and turbine aircraft, such as some models of the Astar helicopter, have a fueling port too small for the J spout and thus require a smaller nozzle to be installed in order to be refuelled efficiently.

Answer 10

jp-9 or jp9