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FAA Testing of 100LL Replacement Fuels Begins

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Key Takeaways:

  • The FAA has initiated Phase I testing of four unleaded aviation fuels from Swift Fuels, Shell, and Total, marking the official start of aviation's transition away from low lead avgas.
  • This effort, part of the Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI), aims to find a suitable unleaded replacement for the existing fleet of 167,000 piston-engine aircraft.
  • Phase I testing focuses on determining fuel compatibility with aircraft systems through laboratory and rig tests, with two or three candidates advancing to Phase II flight trials.
  • The program is a joint industry-government initiative, funded by Congress, to facilitate the development and deployment of new unleaded avgas.
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The FAA has launched Phase I testing of four unleaded aviation fuels at its William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey, officially beginning aviation’s much heralded transition away from low lead avgas.

Two fuels developed by Swift Fuels and one fuel each developed by Shell and Total are now undergoing laboratory and rig testing, which is expected to continue for the next year as the FAA seeks to start phasing out 100LL avgas as early as 2018.

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