Aviation Community Livid With Santa Clara County Over Looming 100LL Ban

County Board of Supervisors announced that the new regulations take effect January 1.

Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at 06:35 PM ET

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When the 100LL ban came down in Santa Clara County, Trade Winds Aviation replaced the 100LL with unleaded Swift94UL avgas, but not all airplanes can run it. [Photo: Walt Gyger]

Key Takeaways:

Santa Clara County has banned 100LL fuel at Reid-Hillview Airport (KRHV) from January 1, 2022, citing dangerously high blood lead levels in local children, a claim which airport businesses and pilots dispute.
Airport tenants believe the fuel ban, along with restrictive month-to-month lease offers, is a political maneuver by the county to force the airport's closure before its federal obligations expire in 2031.
Major aviation advocacy groups have appealed to the FAA, warning that such local bans pose safety risks, including misfueling, and disrupt the cooperative industry effort to transition the entire general aviation fleet to unleaded fuels.

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Airport businesses and pilots who use Reid-Hillview Airport (KRHV) are calling Santa Clara County’s decision to ban 100LL as of January 1, 2022, a political move to force the closure of the airport and not a health issue, as touted by persons pushing airport closure.

The 180-acre airport operated by Santa Clara County is located in east San Jose. In August 2021, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors discussed the findings published in an airborne lead study report that they say demonstrated dangerously high blood lead levels (BLL) in local children.