50 Gallon Gyro Fuel Trailer

[HeliSwede]

When I purchased my Magni M-24 the airport I was based at only had 100LL fuel. So, I searched the web for small fuel trailers, but mostly found larger, overpriced equipment. I proceeded to build my own trailer to transport 50 gallons from a gas station about 6 miles away that carried ethonol free 93 octane. My airport approved and allowed me to house the trailer in the hangar with my aircraft as long as I pulled it out of the hangar to refuel. I bot the 4ft trailer kit from Harbor Freight for $400 and the 50 gallon tank from Tractor Supply for another $400. Added a manual pump that pumps 1/2gallon per stroke out and another 1/2 gallon per stroke in for a total of 1 gallon per complete stoke. Not bad, plus no battery or expensive 12v fuel pump to purchase or maintain. Also added a water stop fuel filter, required decals for the State of Kansas, a fire extinguisher and a wood dowel marked in 1 gallon increments to keep track of fuel pumped/remaining in tank. Easy to move with one hand with the wheel on the jack stand. In total I probably have around $1,200 invested, but It has worked like a charm. Hopefully the photo will upload so you can see the completed project. Sooooo much easier and safer than hauling around 5 gallon jugs, IMHO.

 

[Tyger]

That looks pretty nice, although I'm not a big fan of trailers myself.

My home airfield does not sell any fuel, but I can easily procure E0 91AKI locally. I've been using the 7.5gal tanks along with the "pro" hand pump from these guys for the past five years: https://flofast.com/
The double handles on the tanks make them easy to lift in and out of my car (each about 50 lbs when full), and the pump works really well.

 

[WaspAir]

My Bell has 57 gallon tanks, so anything that small would be difficult to use practically. I poured a pad and installed a 550 gal tank at my hangar and get fuel delivered to it from time to time.

 

[Tyger]

How many gph is typical on your Bell? On my Magni, it's under 5.

 

[WaspAir]

Brace yourself -




Seventeen gph.
That's because of the monster turbocharger. Normally aspirated versions burn closer to twelve. Of course, this is 2950 pounds gross weight, two or three gyros worth of mass. It has a 20,000 foot service ceiling, too.

 

[BEN S]

On my trailer I have a fuel station. The forward compartment opens and there is an electric fuel pump. A discharge hose and a suction hose with a pvc pipe cut diagonal at the tip.
I use blitz 5 gallon tanks at gas station. But my sportcopter fuel fill nozzle is a bit high for me.
I open the box, place my fire extinguisher on bed of truck, take a 5 gallon can and place on ground. Insert the pipe and hook battery cables to the same battery that is on my jib arm winch.
Remove cap and pull handlle and gas er up!
No muss no fuss and not tired when done.
Add a bit of Marvels to the tank and were good to go.

 

[GyroRon]

I got lucky I suppose, many years ago while visiting some ultralight pilots at a airfield near where PRA 13 used to hold rotors over Carolina fly in, One of them asked if I knew anyone who might want a fuel trailer. They showed it to me and it was a homemade steel tube frame trailer with a Steel drum tank welded on it. The tank looked like it might have been used to hold heating oil or perhaps some other substance in a factory or whatever. I think I had to give them like $300 for it and I had them deliver it to me!

I added a electric pump and long hose, Those two were more than what I spent to buy the trailer, but made it very easy to fill up the plane or gyro. The tank held 120 gallons of gas and I had spray painted it flat black, so to most folks it looked like a big BBQ grill.

I stopped using it a few years ago, was always nervous about towing 120 gallons of gas on a questionably built homemade trailer. Plus I don't fly enough to run through 120 gallons of gas in a time frame that the gas would still be good. I sold it recently to the owners of my airport, they wanted it for being able to buy some Autofuel for their old piper cub. All they sell on the airport is av gas.

 

[WaspAir]

My big tank is full of 100LL, which has a really long shelf life, thank goodness, given the investment necessary to fill it. There's no FBO on our private airpark, so many of my neighbors have similar rigs. We contract with a local distributor to bring out a big truck to replenish all the tanks in one trip.

 

[j4flyer]

My big tank is full of 100LL, which has a really long shelf life, thank goodness, given the investment necessary to fill it. There's no FBO on our private airpark, so many of my neighbors have similar rigs. We contract with a local distributor to bring out a big truck to replenish all the tanks in one trip.

Is your supplier charging you a “convenience “ fee ? Out here in Ca they delivered to our home tanks free. Then after a few years the companies discovered they could charge the convenience fee , it’s an additional 10 cents a gallon.

 

[WaspAir]

It's a negotiated price, different every time, at just one number per gallon delivered, so it's hard to attribute any particular part of the price to any specific "fee". They definitely make a profit, and we get it delivered to our hangars, so it works for both in the long run. Generally, the more we buy as a group, the less we pay per gallon, with a minimum 250 gallon purchase per participant.

 

[loftus]

I have a 30 or 40 gallon steel fuel tank with electric pump etc, that anyone can take off my hands for whatever you'll offer. I was planning to put it on a trailer, so I could fuel up the Aircam more easily. Unused. Then KDED got Swift Fuel so no need any more. Just sitting in the hangar. If anyone is interested I'll send some photos.

 

[WaspAir]

Wish I could use Swift, but it's not approved for my turbocharged engine in the Bell. Maybe G100 will show up some day.

 

[WaspAir]

Ordered fuel today, and 100LL is costing me $5.69 per gallon delivered. In contrast, I tanked up my Mazda today for $2.86 per gallon of Shell self-serve regular.

 

[Brent Drake]

I think it's against the law to transport gasoline on trailers that are not approved. In Indiana, you cannot transport gasoline in any container other than red, and cannot exceed 6 gallons. But you are allowed to transport 6ea 6-gallon containers for a total of 36 gallons.
Jet and diesel fuel are exempt from these regulations.

 

[Tyger]

I think, like most rules-of-the-road, that depends entirely on the state you are in.

 

[Sv.grainne]

Texas is more restrictive, 4ea 5 gal red containers. But you see everything here!

 

[Cookie]

Nice work!

 

[bobbytishaw]

I have a 30 or 40 gallon steel fuel tank with electric pump etc, that anyone can take off my hands for whatever you'll offer. I was planning to put it on a trailer, so I could fuel up the Aircam more easily. Unused. Then KDED got Swift Fuel so no need any more. Just sitting in the hangar. If anyone is interested I'll send some photos.

Interested

 

[loftus]

Interested

I'll take some pictures this week and post them

 

[loftus]

Here are photos of the tank and electric pump. Unused, 36 gallons.