Powering Ahead

The world is looking for an alternate to leaded avgas for three reasons. First, leaded avgas, which is manufactured from a non-renewable resource, is expensive to produce and buy; second, it pollutes the environment; and third, it is hard to access, particularly outside the main centres, of developed countries. Further, avgas engines are “inefficient old technology.”

Demand for new fuels varies by region, and comparative fuel prices. For example, in Europe the difference in price between 100LL and Jet-A1 (€2.2 against €1.14 per litre) is far greater than in the USA.

Unleaded high-octane avgas

In 2017, Australian Flying reported on developments leading to a soon-to-be-introduced unleaded high-octane avgas to replace 100LL.

The FAA established, the aviation fuels initiative (PAFI) which included the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the American Petroleum Industry, EPA, the Experimental Aircraft Association, General Aviation Manufacturers Association, and the National Business Aircraft Association.

PAFI’s mission was “to evaluate candidate unleaded replacement fuels and identify those best able to technically satisfy the needs of the existing aircraft fleet, while also considering the production, distribution, cost, availability [and] environmental and health impacts…”

In 2017 two potential unleaded fuels, Swift Fuels and Shell, were established as finalists by PAFI, counting down to a deadline of releasing a 100-octane unleaded fuel to the US general aviation fleet by the end of 2018.

Tom Haines, Senior Vice President, Media and Outreach, for AOPA USA,