To all users of isobutane canister stoves...
...The issue has to do with the DOT requirements for testing compressed gas cylinders and then certifying the containers. The Asian makers of isobutane cylinders don't care about their product meeting US DOT performance packaging standards. Consumers keep buying them so why should they care? DOT clarified their rules a few years ago and made it clear that they will start enforceing the rules on transporters through spot inspections. Some Asian makers have some of their cylinders tested; however, since the prime maker subcontracts the actual manufacture out to various low bidders, they can't say batch one is the same as batch two as they come from different facilities. It is not cost effective to have every batch tested. These cyliners do not meet DOT performance specificiations for passenger aircraft, and their makers will never go through the process to make that happen. The farthest they managed to get was to get their product to get excepted packaging status for freight only aircraft.
The 1-lb propane bottles are tested, certified, and marked as meeting DOT specifications. These cylinders are not designed to be refilled even though you can buy OTC devices to refill them for your own use. Refillable compressed gas cylinders have been illegal to be transported in commerce in the US for decades. You can transport it in your own car, but you cannot transport it in commerce and 40 mile is in commerce last time I was in their office.
The other issue that folks need to keep in mind specific to 40 Mile Air is that they operate under a Part 401 certificate that lumps all their aircaft under it. They operate a regularly scheduled passenger airline due to their flights between Tok and Fairbanks, plus their essential air service contract to villages and such. They have had the 401 certificate since forever, decades of sceduled passenger flights. Since they are a passenger air service and not a for hire Part 135 transporter they have very specific rules they have to follow. When a hazardous material regulation says that the item cannot be carried on a passenger aircraft it can't happen. Federal law trumps your needs. Even if you were willing to pay the tens of thousands of dollars in federal fines and pay the thousands in legal fees 40 Mile Air could incure if caught shipping your few bucks worth of jet boil fuel I doubt if they would let you. And you as the shipper of the fuel canister are also open to being fined tens of thousands of dollars. DOT does not care about your ounce shaving issues for your sheep hunt.
There are two options: $150 bucks or less for a white gas stove and a pound or two of liquid fuel or arrange to get 100LL avgas from a wing tank, or spend your vast personal fortune on paying DOT fines if caught by some jack booted government thug with his nose buried a foot deep into the CFR regulations. Pretty simple decision for me as I do not have much money sitting around growing stale with time. Pretty simple decision for 40 Mile as well as they would rather stay in business rather than lose all that money while the DOT bends them over.
If the air traveling backpack hunter wants this to change then use the process through whomever represents you in congress/senate and get them to write an exception clause to the laws that govern DOT. Don't forget to include a huge stack of cash campain fund donations to get their attention. That works for Native corporations and realestate developers up here in AK, so it should work for the rest of the US. Of course you being personaly inconvienced over an issue that is resovled with a $150 investment may not be all that important when compared to the safety of millions of daily airline passengers and the billions of dollars that involves. You could also try to convience 40 Mile air to give up more than half their income by selling off the Part 401 buisness and just providing Part 135 service out of Tok. I am sure they will listen carefully to your justifications for why they should throw away all that money for you and your jet boil.
PS: I have long sad career in hazmat and hazwaste shipping so I do come across as a preachy azzhole. If I have left anyone butt hurt with my above comments know this, I don't really care. Have a nice day.
