Briefing: August 2012

Under the Unleaded Avgas Transition-Advanced Rulemaking Committee (ARC)s recommendations, it will be at least 11 years before a suitable replacement (or replacements) for 100LL is approved. Total cost could reach $73 million with $60 million having to be approved by Congress. Despite the many pitfalls outlined in the report, the authors try to strike a hopeful tone: We are in fact very encouraged that a satisfactory solution will be deployed in a timely manner and…

Editorial Staff

Friday, August 01, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The transition to unleaded avgas (100LL replacement) is projected to take at least 11 years and cost up to $73 million, with much of the funding requiring Congressional approval.
Harvard University researchers developed a new "Slippery Liquid Infused Porous Surface" (SLIPS) technology that uses nanostructures to create ultra-smooth, ice-phobic surfaces, with potential applications in aviation and refrigeration.
The FAA plans to modify tower lighting requirements, including potentially omitting steady red marker lights on some towers, to reduce migratory bird fatalities without increasing aviation risks, based on a federal study.
NetJets placed a record-breaking order for 100 new Bombardier and Cessna business jets, with options for 300 more, in a deal valued at up to $9.6 billion.

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Under the Unleaded Avgas Transition-Advanced Rulemaking Committee (ARC)’s recommendations, it will be at least 11 years before a suitable replacement (or replacements) for 100LL is approved. Total cost could reach $73 million with $60 million having to be approved by Congress. Despite the many pitfalls outlined in the report, the authors try to strike a hopeful tone: “We are in fact very encouraged that a satisfactory solution will be deployed in a timely manner and none of us will see our aircraft or our operations significantly compromised.”

A team from Harvard University has developed a treatment for metal surfaces that will keep them free of ice and frost, according to the Harvard Gazette. The Slippery Liquid Infused Porous Surfaces (SLIPS) uses nanostructures to create an ultra-smooth, slippery surface. “This new approach to ice-phobic materials is a truly disruptive idea,” said Joanna Aizenberg, leader of the research group. “We are actively working with the refrigeration and aviation industries to bring it to market.”