Chapter 159: 158, 2000% Profit Business, Arrival In Europe
Indiana was considering Fang Wen’s proposal, but he did not make a decision right away.
Fang Wen understood that at this moment, if he did not stimulate the other party a bit, it would be hard to persuade him.
He recalled this person Indiana, who liked adventure and also had faith in religion.
Right, the True Cross was a good hook.
As William fled to China, the other Weimar officers were executed, and now only Indiana could properly arrange for the True Cross.
Hadn’t he once proposed sending the True Cross to the United States?
Thinking of this, Fang Wen spoke up: “Do you want to transport the True Cross back to the denomination of your faith?”
Indiana, who was thinking, was immediately surprised, then delighted.
“Yes, can I take it back to Trinity Church?”
“I have no problem with it. You can ask William’s opinion. If he agrees, contact me. I’ll be waiting for you in Paris and use the airplane to transport the True Cross to the United States.”
After Fang Wen finished speaking, he told Indiana the telegram method to contact William.
He felt this matter should work out. William was doing well in China, and his only concern was the True Cross. If not entrusted to Indiana for safekeeping, there was no one trustworthy left.
After ending the conversation with Indiana, Fang Wen welcomed another group of passengers.
There were five in total.
The Boeing Company representative introduced these five passengers.
Anglo Persian oil company’s British employees would board the Asia-Europe long-haul special line airplane, land in Paris, France, then take a ship back to London.
Anglo means Anglo people.
Persian means Persian people.
Combined, it is an oil company opened jointly by British people and Persian people.
Abbreviated as Anglo-Persian Company.
Fang Wen smiled and shook hands with the five: “Welcome to board Taishan Airlines’ international special line.”
After everyone was on the airplane, he boarded the airplane and activated the flight.
Because there were five more passengers whose native language was English, Vanderka Chandra from British India talked more.
He chatted tirelessly along the way, paired with the British oil engineer who did not talk much but patiently engaged with him, and they complemented each other well.
After flying for more than two hours, the airplane exited the Iranian Plateau and entered the low-altitude Mediterranean Sea plain hilly terrain.
Fang Wen thought of the fuel supply problem for the Hump Route in the future War of Resistance.
Fuel was all purchased from British India, and Britain’s nearest overseas oil production center was Iran, so a large portion of the fuel should have been transported from here.
To learn more about Iran’s oil situation, Fang Wen also joined the conversation.
He picked up the electrophonic microphone.
“Passengers, there are 3 more hours to Ankara Airport. Tonight we will stay overnight in Ankara.”
“I personally am very interested in Iran’s oil industry. May I join your conversation?”
Vanderka Chandra brought two British oil engineers to the cockpit door and introduced them familiarly.
“He is called Turt, this is Alec. They have both worked in the oil company for over five years.”
While piloting the airplane, Fang Wen conversed: “Earlier this year I went to Iran. At that time, your oil company was in dispute with the royal family. Has it been resolved now?”
“Not yet. The king demands debt reduction and more company shares. How is that possible?” Alec complained.
Fang Wen was not too interested in the conflict between Britain and Iran. He cared more about whether he could buy high-quality fuel at a cheaper price.
He asked: “Taishan Airlines has a great demand for fuel and hopes to obtain higher-quality and cheaper fuel resources. Can we purchase directly from your company?”
Turt shook his head: “Prices are about the same, unless you refine oil yourself.”
“Refine oil myself?” Fang Wen had never thought of such a thing.
He asked curiously: “How much is a barrel of crude oil? How many liters of gasoline can it refine?”
“There are many kinds of crude oil. If you want to refine gasoline, you need light crude oil, about 57 cents per barrel. The yield is 45%.”
During the boring airborne piloting time, Fang Wen simply calculated this business account.
He ran an airline company and was very clear about fuel prices.
Currently, oil prices in Shanghai had risen to 60 cents per liter of silver dollar due to the Great Wall Campaign, and though they had dropped a bit now, it was still 45 cents per liter of silver dollar.
But how many liters in a barrel?
He asked the two engineers.
The engineer replied: “One barrel of crude oil is equivalent to 42 gallons, 1 gallon is about 3.78 liters, 42 times 3.78, let me calculate.”
No need for him to calculate, Bai Zeshan gave the result: “It is 158.76 liters.”
Science talents have a gift for calculations. Fang Wen simply let Bai Zeshan do the calculating.
He asked.
“Bai Zeshan, calculate 158.76 times 0.45.”
“71.442.”
“71.442 times 0.55.”
“39.2931.”
With these results, Fang Wen had a rough understanding of oil profits.
1 barrel of light crude oil costs only 57 cents.
It can produce 77 liters of gasoline.
At Shanghai’s retail price, that is 39 silver dollars.
39 silver dollars, equivalent to 13 US dollars.
It is simply huge profit, skyrocketing.
57 cents crude oil, after transportation, refining, and to Shanghai’s retail market, multiplies nearly 23 times.
Even excluding other costs, it should still be 20 times.
What does Capital say?
If there is 10% profit, capital will be utilized everywhere; if there is 20% profit, capital will stir; if there is 50% profit, capital will take risks; if there is 100% profit, capital dares to risk the gallows; if there is 300% profit, capital dares to trample all human laws.
This is already 2000%.
It is simply the original sin of capital.
At this moment, Fang Wen deeply understood what oil wars are.
Compared to the oil business, everything else except gambling and stock market is weak.
But all this relies on national interests cooperation to achieve.
Fang Wen’s mind conjured the seven most powerful oil companies of this era.
Anglo-Persian Oil（UK Government）, Gulf Oil（UK）, Exxon（US）, Mobil（US）, Chevron（US）, Texaco（US）, Shell（Anglo-Dutch）.
It can be said that the oil business of this era has basically been monopolized by Britain and the US.
Crude oil is out of the question, but a refinery can be considered.
Currently, most of China’s fuel comes from supplies by Mobil and Exxon.
Only a very small portion is locally refined.
Later, when Japanese block the coastline, imported fuel will basically be cut off.
That is why the Yunnan-Burma Road and Hump Route are crucial later.
But if he opens a refinery in South Asia to refine himself, he can easily obtain crude oil transportation from the Persian Gulf, and supply more fuel supplies needed for the War of Resistance to a greater extent.
This idea is very good.
But he lacks talent to build crude oil refinery on hand.
Fang Wen looked back at the Anglo-Persian Company’s oil engineers, somewhat envious.
He no longer spoke, focusing on piloting the airplane.
After more than 5 hours, the airplane arrived over Ankara.
Flight attendant Cheng Dayou had not prepared an commentary script for Ankara and knew nothing about the place, unsure what to say.
He came to the cockpit and asked Fang Wen in a low voice: “General Manager, there is no information here.”
“I’ll do it.”
Fang Wen picked up the electrophonic microphone:
“Below is Ankara, the capital of the Republic of Turkey. Ten years ago when the Republic of Turkey was established, it was set as the capital, so it is much smaller than Istanbul. But it will definitely develop greatly in the future. We will land in Ankara and stay overnight, departing early tomorrow morning.”
After speaking, Fang Wen controlled the airplane to circle over the airport, turned on the radio device, and called for landing.
After the ground control tower responded, the Boeing 247 landed on Ankara Airport.
The Boeing Company staff member who rushed over overnight for the heavy reward had arrived early at the airport waiting. When Fang Wen got off the plane, he immediately came over to report the good news.
“Mr. Fang, I have negotiated it.”
“You negotiated it so quickly?” Fang Wen was surprised. Although negotiating today would require giving the other party a 10,000 US dollar reward, if it was really achieved, it was worth it.
To prove his results, the Boeing Company staff emphasized: “I came over last night and negotiated with the Ankara Airport management department. They also want to become the first Turkish airport to connect to transcontinental long-haul flights before Istanbul, but the various fees are 30% higher than before.”
This is the price of eagerness for quick success. Although Ankara Airport is willing to connect to international long-haul routes due to competition between cities, the high fees are the fundamental reason they agreed.
Fang Wen nodded, let the Boeing Company staff first arrange everyone’s accommodation and meals, then went with him to the airport management office.
After confirming again, Fang Wen finally felt relieved.
This means the entire Asia-Europe long-haul flight route is confirmed.
The rest is to station staff at each airport to handle the details.
Only after the d.332 procurement returns can the real Asia-Europe long-haul flight piloting personnel training begin.
The real Asia-Europe long-haul flight will not be like Fang Wen flying from start to end in one go, but each one or two transfer flights equipped with dedicated pilots, all pilots only fly dedicated routes, so standardized flying can avoid various problems encountered in long-haul flights.
Back, Fang Wen could not contain his joy and announced.
“Taishan Airlines’ Asia-Europe long-haul flight matter is basically confirmed. To celebrate this achievement, I invite all members of this Asia-Europe long-haul flight to enjoy a delicacies night in Ankara.”
“Where to?” Zhao Jiu asked.
Fang Wen looked at the Boeing Company representative, but the other shook his head blankly.
Obviously, no one knew what good food or fun there was in Ankara this time.
So the group of 13 walked out of the airport and randomly sought food.
The airport was in the north of Ankara’s urban area, not remote but not many restaurants either.
The group walked to the street block and finally saw a restaurant.
They chose a restaurant whose name had the word ‘Kebab’.
Kebab is roasted meat. In Turkey, when unsure what food to choose, pick it and you won’t go wrong.
After entering the restaurant, everyone found it quite crowded, indicating the taste here should be good.
The waiter came over and asked in English: “Hello, do you have a reservation?”
This was a high-end roasted meat restaurant that required reservations?
Fang Wen shook his head to indicate no.
The other replied: “If no reservation, we cannot provide our signature dishes.”
They knew nothing about this restaurant’s signature dishes, so it did not matter if not having them.
Thus, after some discussion, each ordered a roasted meat meal.
13 foreigners of different nationalities dining here aroused the curiosity of local Turkish people and made the restaurant’s chefs carefully prepare thirteen portions of food.
All the waiters in the restaurant specially lined up in a queue, carrying plates out from the kitchen to serve the dishes.
Only at this time did Fang Wen know what food this restaurant served.
It was a local roast fish restaurant.
All the food was related to seafood.
And very distinctive.
Turkish sour cucumber paired shrimp, yogurt soup.
It was the appetizer.
The main course was roast fish.
Grilled sea fish, paired with fresh lemon, grilled green pepper and tomato, with potato strips and rice below.
The staple food portion was quite large, nearly a pound, plus the appetizer, most of Fang Wen’s group were full.
Only Zhao Jiu had a bigger appetite, specially adding a portion of grilled octopus leg for him.
It was Zhao Jiu’s first time seeing a big octopus leg, one as thick as three fingers, with suckers still on the edges. At first he did not dare eat it, but under Cheng Dayou’s urging, he started eating.
No kidding, it was very chewy, not sticking to teeth, with salty flavor and Western seasoning taste, quite delicious.
A wonderful dinner in Ankara marked the end of this Asia-Europe long-haul flight’s Asian segment journey.
The next day, the airplane departed early from Ankara, crossed the Mediterranean Sea, and landed on the airport runway in Rome.
After a brief stop at Rome Airport, the airplane took off again, heading to Paris.
Thus, the Asia-Europe long-haul flight finally ended.
At Paris Airport, the reporters arranged by Boeing Company interviewed Fang Wen.
For Taishan Airlines’ propaganda, Fang Wen cooperated with the reporters’ interview.
“What is special about the Asia-Europe flight?”
“It is the world’s first long-haul commercial flight exceeding 10,000 kilometers. The whole journey passes 8 transfer airports and 9 important Asia-Europe cities. The whole journey takes 3 days, both a long-haul trip and viewing scenery of different regions. It shortens the time from Asia to Europe by four-fifths.”
The last sentence made the reporters spot the news highlight.
“Yes, from Marseille by ship to Shanghai takes 15 days, airplane indeed greatly shortens the process. So, for such a long flight, how do you achieve it? I know the Boeing 247’s maximum range is only 1200 kilometers.”
Fang Wen glanced at the Boeing Europe regional manager whose expression changed, of course he would not say the nonsense of replacing Boeing 247 with d.332 later.
Instead, he smiled and explained: “No problem with that. We use modified fuel tanks to increase the maximum range, which is also safety certified by Boeing Company.”
This brought over the range issue during the flight and let the interview proceed smoothly.
After the interview ended, the five oil engineers and Vanderka Chandra directly took a ship to London, and the Boeing Europe regional manager also bid farewell.
Fang Wen communicated with airport personnel, put the airplane in the hangar, locked it, and left the airport with the rest.
Outside the airport, Lin Shuiwang leaned on the car door waiting. Seeing Fang Wen’s group come out, he immediately smiled and waved vigorously.
