[G Larry]

Interestingly, jet fuel isn’t that easy to ignite.

[eyeamok]

We used an acetylene torch to get it to light up.

[bioqubit]

the tannerite in his trunk that never made it to the tanks would have made it a lot easier.

[robroys woman]

Interestingly, jet fuel isn’t that easy to ignite.

---

To put it mildly.

I use diesel to start and feed wood fires on my property because it’s hard to get into trouble like you can with gasoline. And Diesel and jet fuel are not that far apart, at least in combustibility. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_fuel

I could shoot a diesel can all day without getting it to do anything.

Now, gasoline is another matter.

[hoosiermama]

Maybe he didn’t realize it was jet fue- l just saw tanks

[Mariner]

Jet Fuel vapor is quite explosive.

If those tanks were only 1/2 full, or less, the remainder being air...and a powerful round hits the “empty” part of the tank, there would be a big bang.

A very big bang.

Ever hear of a Fuel-Air explosive?

[VietVet876]

No, it’s not. Paddock might have had a chance if he had been able to put his stash of Tannerite at the base of the tanks and even then a hundred pounds would have been preferable to fifty pounds.

[JimRed]

Interestingly, jet fuel isn’t that easy to ignite.

Closer to kerosene than gasoline, IIUC.

[Magnum44]

Thanks for pointing that out, though most here probably don’t understand why.

Gasoline, and AV-Gas for reciprocating engine aircraft has a lower ignition temperature and is more likely to ignite by a spark. Jet fuel, for turbine and jet engines, is designed to have a higher flash point temperature and, as you stated, is harder to ignite.

I have not heard anyone state whether the storage tanks Paddock shot were AV-Gas or Jet fuel. It would seem a not well thought out part of his plan if the tanks turn out to be jet fuel, which they probably are.

[Psalm 73]

"...jet fuel isn’t that easy to ignite."

Ha! I used to test-run jet engines - one guy was smoking a butt next to a 5 gal. pail full of fuel, no big deal - a "brand new" Engineer went to the boss yelling about "safety!" and a possible "explosion!".
We were in tears - it was hilarious.

[Jeff Chandler]

https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/12184/what-are-the-differences-between-fuel-types-comparing-with-vehicles/12188

[DungeonMaster]

Interestingly, jet fuel isn’t that easy to ignite.

Like when Bruce Willis lights jet fuel and it burns so fast it catches the plane and blows it up in Die Hard 2.

[techrules2002]

I wondered if he had originally planned to place the Tannerite on or around the tanks to either kill more victims or create a diversion to facilitate an escape - don’t know if that would work but from the limited videos I’ve seen it seems plausible.

[Sacajaweau]

Not easy to ignite. That's something he should have (might have) known since he owned a couple planes.

And if they did ignite, the flames would go straight up.

Do we even know ABSOLUTELY that the bullets found in the tanks came from his guns?