AGAZINE - Midwest Flyer

Getting The Lead Out
by Craig Fuller
President & CEO
Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association
Just about every
pilot I meet
has questions
about the future of
avgas, and I believe
it’s important for
the entire GA
community to stay
on top of this issue,
Craig Fuller
so I’ll start with the
least you need to know:
1. Supplies of 100LL will remain
readily available;
2. The GA community is working
cooperatively to find a fuel without
lead;
3. We have embarked on a process
that will take a number of years,
but must, and will, lead us to an
alternative fuel formulation.
Of course this is a complex and
nuanced issue, and one that AOPA is
deeply engaged in. You should also
know that the GA community has
not found a specific solution at this
time, but is exploring all the available
options, as well as searching for new
ones.
With U.S. policy calling for the
removal of lead from fuels and just
one remaining provider of the tetraethyl
lead used in avgas, we have to
face the fact that 100LL probably
won’t be around forever. To date,
researchers have investigated more
than 200 possible fuel formations,
with more in the works.
What we need is a way to research
potential solutions, resolve the
unknowns, and better understand
how each potential solution will
affect production, distribution, the
environment, aircraft performance and
safety, and the economics of aviation.
The ultimate solution must be a fuel
that we can rely on for decades to
come, just as we have long relied on
avgas.
To help find that way forward,
aviation and petroleum industry
groups have banded together as part
of an organization called the General
Aviation Avgas Coalition. In addition
to AOPA, the members include EAA,
GAMA, NATA, and NBAA, as well
as the American Petroleum Institute
and the National Petrochemical
Refiners Association. The members
of this group have pledged to work
together to find solutions that
will keep the GA fleet in the air
while being affordable, safe, and
environmentally sound.
A lead free future
Together, we will evaluate the
past 20 years of research, as well as
new work, to find the best possible
solution. And, in the coming weeks
and months, we will continue to
visit many of the key players in this
issue, including suppliers, aircraft and
engine manufacturers, and companies
that are developing potential solutions.
The coalition is committed to
working with the rest of the aviation
industry as well as EPA, FAA,
Co n t i n u e d On Pa g e 62
The future of avgas is one of the hottest topics in general aviation today, but the details
of the science and policy behind the search for an alternative to leaded fuel can be more
than a little arcane. So here are a few fundamentals every pilot should know:
1. Supplies of 100LL will continue to be readily available.
2. The GA community is aligned in the search for a fuel without lead.
3. This process is sure to take a number of years, but it will lead to an alternative fuel
formulation.
Researchers have already explored more than 200 possible fuel formulations in a search
that has spanned 20 years. And new possibilities are in the works as well. We need to
investigate potential solutions, resolve the unknowns, and better understand how each
potential solution will affect production, distribution, the environment, aircraft performance
and safety, and the economics of aviation. Only when we have those answers will
we be in a position to make good decisions about changes to our fuel supply.
To help get us there, aviation and petroleum industry groups have joined forces as part of
an organization called the General Aviation Avgas Coalition. In addition to AOPA, the members
include EAA, GAMA, NATA, and NBAA, as well as the American Petroleum Institute
and the National Petrochemical Refiners Association. We have pledged to work together to
find solutions that will keep the GA fleet in the air while being affordable, safe, and environmentally
sound.
Together, we will evaluate past and current research and continue to visit with many of
the key players in the avgas issue, including suppliers, aircraft and engine manufacturers,
and companies that are developing potential solutions.
And we are committed to working with the rest of the aviation industry as well as EPA,
FAA, and other agencies. Because FAA is responsible for approving and certifying products
that use any alternative fuel, we have asked the agency to convene a working group
to help manage the safety, technical, logistical, and economic issues to ensure the best
possible outcome for all concerned.
So, while we are very busy behind the scenes on this issue, don’t expect to see any immediate
changes. It’s still far too early to decide how to replace leaded avgas. Together with
our partners in government, science, and industry, I do believe we can find a workable solution.
And, rest assured, AOPA will make certain everyone
concerned takes the needs of the entire general aviation
community into account at every step along the way.
*For more information on the Aircraft Owners
and Pilots Association and the issues that
affect your flying go to www.aopa.org today.
Gu e s t Ed i t o r i a l
Craig L. Fuller
AOPA President and CEO
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 15