Mr. Charlie Ory

Charlie Ory, VP/GM and partner, joined Aero in 1999.Charlie, a past-president and current board member of the APGA (AZ Propane Gas Assn.), member of the Technology and Standards Committee of the NPGA (National Propane Gas Association), member of the Consumer Education and Awareness Committee of the PERC (Propane Education and Research Council) is the day-to-day operation manager of Aero.

As business partners Charlie and Jeff have focused on customer service, safety and employee growth to maintain the high standards they have set for Aero.

Charlie Ory 255 South Ironwood

Thank you to Mr. Charlie Ory of Aero Propane for his submission.

We're back to doing the chicken-and-egg routine again , says Charlie Ory , manager of Aero Propane in Apache Junction , Ariz. , and former president of the Arizona Propane Gas Association.

If we want to get into the motor fuel market we have to show that we believe in our own product.This is a real crossroads , and we have to be willing to use propane-powered vehicles , Ory insists.

Out of 1 , 900 propane-powered F Series pickup trucks sold by Ford during the 2000 model year , just 47 of them were bought by people connected to the propane business.

Sales of Ford's 2001 model Super Duty and F 150 bi-fuel propane trucks are characterized by Ford's Brendan Prebo as very strong , yet the numbers and lack of promotional activity suggest units are sputtering.As of August , just 1 , 261 orders had been placed for the Super Duty 260 hp model , with a paltry 650 orders for the smaller F 150.

In the past two years Ford and GM have really stepped up to the plate , says Ory.They seem ready and able to provide what we want - and now we're not having the folks in the industry step up to the plate..

What happenedBobtail builders and the propane marketers who put these rigs on the road agree that incessant problems with getting propane engines repaired have greased much of the skid towards diesel.

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Ory responds by noting that diesel drivers frequently complain about the extra gear-shifting and clutch pedal-pushing that comes with all that torque.And getting 600 , 000 to 700 , 000 miles out of a diesel engine may seem like a fine idea on paper , but the body , interior and bobtail gear is likely to be long gone before the odometer spins that high.He estimates that a typical bobtail puts on 500 to 600 miles a week ; 25 , 000 to 30 , 000 miles a year.

Major ordersMany in the industry believe that the major marketers must lead the charge toward propane vehicle usage.

The majors can order their vehicles in advance , Ory notes , referring to both the tight ordering window that manufacturers have applied to specialty rolling stock , and the difficulty smaller dealers face in predicting their vehicle needs.It would seem to be right down the alley of the majors to forecast what their needs are..

Charles L. Ory

Aero Propane Gas Co.

Charles L. OryAero Propane Gas Co.