Aviation Leaders Discuss How They’ll Get the Lead Out

AOPA president Mark Baker and FAA director of aircraft certification service Earl Lawrence talk about considerations for making unleaded fuel.

Meg Godlewski

Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 05:12 PM ET

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The purpose of EAGLE is to chart the safe and smart transition to an unleaded future for the entire general aviation fleet. [File photo: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The EAGLE initiative aims for a safe and smart transition to unleaded fuel for the entire general aviation fleet, requiring collaborative efforts from all aviation stakeholders.
The transition is guided by four pillars: developing unleaded fuel infrastructure, supporting research and technology innovation, evaluating and authorizing safe unleaded fuels, and establishing necessary policies.
Significant challenges include retrofitting older aircraft for unleaded fuel, ensuring compatibility with existing systems, and securing cooperation from fuel producers.
The urgency of this transition is heightened by leaded fuel concerns being used as a basis to threaten airport closures.

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The stakeholders behind the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative are striving to create a world where unleaded fuel is the norm rather than the exception. On Thursday, they talked about how they were going to accomplish that goal with a safe and smart transition to unleaded fuel for the entire general aviation fleet.

The purpose of EAGLE is to chart the safe and smart transition to an unleaded future for the entire general aviation fleet. According to Earl Lawrence, the FAA director of aircraft certification service, that won’t happen unless all the stakeholders from the aircraft manufacturers to the alphabet groups and the fuel manufacturers work together.