GA Pilots Press Committee on Lead-Free Fuel

FAA and industry leaders respond to pilots concerned about removing lead from fuel.

Thom Patterson

Monday, July 25, 2022 at 05:57 PM ET

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A Cessna aircraft [Courtesy: Textron Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

General aviation (GA) pilots at AirVenture expressed significant frustration over the lack of readily available lead-free, high-octane fuel alternatives for their piston aircraft.
The EAGLE (Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions) initiative, a broad collaboration across the aviation industry, aims to develop and transition to viable unleaded fuel solutions for the entire GA fleet by 2030.
The transition is complex, involving extensive research and development, engine compatibility, regulatory approval, and infrastructure development, leading some pilots to call for faster adoption of existing unleaded options.

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GA pilots posed hard questions Monday to a panel of aviation industry stakeholders trying to develop new lead-free, high octane fuel. At this year’s Experimental Aviation Association (EAA) AirVenture airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, several pilots expressed frustration with the lack of available fuel options at many airports.

“We can’t buy 100LL fuel,” one GA pilot complained to the panel. “When can we have some alternative?” That question—and several others like it—drew robust applause among the audience of about 200 people attending a forum on the EAGLE initiative.