FAA creates team for avgas research
September 18, 2012, 12:29 pm
The Federal Aviation Administration recently announced the formation of a new Fuels Program Office, in response to a letter from members of the General Aviation Avgas Coalition urging more funding for an unleaded avgas program.
The administration said the new office would provide technical expertise and strategic direction in planning, managing and coordinating activities related to fuels for aircraft. From here the office will look to generate more data, and implement fleet-wide certification and commercial fuel specifications.
"The FAA's direct involvement and participation in this process is critical to ensuring a fleet-wide transition to an unleaded avgas that will maintain consumer confidence and ensure the least impact on the existing fleet," read a conjoined statement from heads the General Aviation Avgas Coalition including the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Experimental Aircraft Association, General Aviation Manufacturers Association, National Air Transportation Association and National Business Aviation Association. "The establishment of the new Fuels Program Office will ensure an efficient use of both government and industry resources and will provide a more comprehensive pathway and timeline to an unleaded fuel."
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an agency within the World Health Organization, recently stated that diesel engine exhaust is carcinogenic to humans. The World LP Gas Association released statements about the benefits of autogas as a clean, safe and versatile fuel substitute for diesel or leaded fuels. Auto gas could be a viable substitute to these fuels.
A study conducted by Aviation Fuel Club this year showed that between 80 percent to 83 percent of current piston aircraft could use autogas for fuel. Auto gas is ethanol-free, lead-free, was approved by the Federal Aviation Administration in 1982 and is nearly $1.40 cheaper than leaded avgas provided at airports.
"We determined then that approximately 115,000 aircraft were capable of burning autogas using STCs from the EAA and my company, Petersen Aviation," said Todd Peterson, a founding director of the Aviation Fuel Club. "This represented about 78 percent of all piston aircraft in 1992, and we did not include homebuilts, ultralights or piston rotorcraft, most of which may operate on autogas. Much has changed since 1992, with many owners of heavy twin aircraft that needed avgas having switched to turbine aircraft, and with continued growth in the homebuilt and more recently the LSA sectors."
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