Spend even a few minutes comparing the operation of an avgas-powered engine to a diesel—also known as a compression-ignition engine or a jet-A power plant—and a number of diesel benefits jump right out. Diesel engines don’t have spark plugs, and demand no magnetos. Jet-A-burning piston engines are water-cooled too, meaning they’re less susceptible to overheating on the ground or during climb-out. Better efficiency translates into 30 to 35 percent better fuel economy with a jet-A power plant. Avgas availability isn’t much of an issue here in the United States, but we live in a fuel bubble because 100LL isn’t all that easy to come by in other parts of the world. In a Flying story five years ago, Stephen Pope summed up the jet-A power debate: “They’re more efficient, run on cheaper fuel, and the EPA isn’t threatening to regulate them out of existence. With so much going for them, are jet-fuel-burning diesels ready to take over?” Whether a jet-A-powered piston engine actually makes good sense depends quite a bit upon who you ask. It also hinges on the specific problems a jet-A power plant is being asked to solve: save on fuel costs, increase range, reduce maintenance expenses or some combination of all three. What we can say for certain is that today, the options to install jet-A piston engines in an avgas airplane are closer to becoming a reality than five years ago, although the movement is certainly not a groundswell … at least not yet.
Inside the Diesel Revolution
Key Takeaways:
- Jet-A powered piston engines offer significant advantages over avgas engines, including 30-35% better fuel efficiency, reduced maintenance needs due to lead-free fuel, simplified operation with single-lever FADEC, and the use of globally available and often cheaper Jet-A fuel.
- Despite these benefits and widespread adoption in regions like Europe where avgas is scarce and expensive, the U.S. market has been slow to transition due to the current availability and affordability of 100LL avgas.
- Manufacturers like Continental, Diamond, and Piper are actively producing or converting aircraft to Jet-A power, with fleet operators and flight schools increasingly seeing the long-term operational and cost-saving benefits beyond just fuel price.
- The article suggests a more significant shift to Jet-A engines in the U.S. will likely accelerate due to external pressures, such as potential EPA regulations phasing out leaded avgas, rather than current economic incentives alone.
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