There was some discussion on the forum a while ago about duty drawback on fuel
when flying to the Continent from the UK. I'm very happy to say that I have just
received back 70 from HM Customs and Excise for a number of claims I made for
Europa flights to France during this past Summer (5 cross-channel trips in
all). The rate of drawback was 27.33p/litre and all the claims were for unleaded
petrol from various garages near my airport (Sandown, Isle of Wight). I didn't
need to send receipts, although the HO60 forms do say that you need to be
able to prove you did buy the fuel if HMCE choose to ask.
I also made a claim for Avgas for a different aircraft back in May and the rate
was 29.46p/litre.
You can't get duty drawback any more for fuel bought in France prior to coming
back to the UK, but fuel is slightly less expensive there anyway. Of course, if
you route back from France via the Channel Islands you can get very low cost
Avgas (about 55p/litre I think it was), but I've not yet found an easy way of
getting mogas there. The only downside to routing a Europa via the CI just for
fuel is that unless you land there with vapour in the tanks the small Europa
fuel tank means that the savings on a typical fuel uplift probably only just
offset the landing fee! However, they're all beautiful Islands to visit in their
own right - just consider any fuel saving as a bonus.
Technically, in addition to the duty drawback above, it is also possible to get
VAT back on fuel exported in an aircraft, but only if the trip is being made
for 'business purposes'. However, the process for this is more complicated: It
requires you to find a friendly fuel supplier to whom you give a signed
declaration
that you are entitled to VAT-free fuel on the basis of exporting it in
an aircraft being flown for business purposes. He can then sell you the fuel
without
charging you VAT. BUT.... the fuel supplier later has to reconcile with
HMCE why he has not collected VAT on the fuel he's supplied to you and for most
fuel-suppliers this is just too much hassle. They save nothing on the whole
transaction and just end up with a bunch of paperwork! Perhaps it's a business
opportunity for an enterprising airfield-based fuel supplier to encourage
Europe-bound
pilots to route through their airfields?
Anyway, I just wanted to celebrate the great feeling of getting something back
---From the government!!
David
GBWJH
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