GAMA Hosts Pre-Brief on Life After EPA’s Ruling on Leaded Aviation Fuel

In anticipation of an imminently-expected endangerment finding from the EPA on leaded aviation fuel, GAMA hosted an industry-centric “background” briefing for aviation press.

Mark Phelps

Friday, October 13, 2023 at 12:11 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

An imminent EPA endangerment finding on leaded aviation fuel will set a pathway for future rulemaking and establish regulatory standards for lead emissions, though it does not constitute an immediate ban on 100LL.
Aviation industry groups are prioritizing the retention of 100LL until an acceptable, high-octane, unleaded replacement is approved and available for the entire general aviation fleet.
While 70% of the piston fleet can use existing lower-octane lead-free fuels, the remaining 30% (which flies 70% of total hours) requires a high-octane solution, making fleetwide replacement complex.
The FAA is the final authority for approving new aviation fuels, with discussions focused on processes like the ASTM route to achieve industry consensus and fleetwide adoption of alternatives.

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In anticipation of an imminently-expected endangerment finding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on leaded aviation fuel, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) hosted an industry-centric “background” briefing for aviation press on October 12. GAMA was clear from the beginning that this was an industry-only briefing and did not come under the “umbrella” of the Eliminate Aviation Gas Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative, described by GAMA as “a comprehensive public-private partnership consisting of aviation and petroleum industry and U.S. government stakeholders.”

Representatives from GAMA, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), and the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) participated in the discussion.