Update Triggers Questions on Unleaded Avgas Progress

GAMA hosted the EAGLE roundtable, bringing together stakeholders looking for more transparency and urgency.

Tuesday, June 06, 2023 at 03:05 PM ET

Verified

The purpose of EAGLE is to chart the safe and smart transition to an unleaded future for the entire general aviation fleet. [File photo: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The general aviation industry is under increasing pressure to transition to unleaded avgas by 2030, driven by an impending EPA ruling, and stakeholders are demanding greater transparency regarding fuel recipes and the approval process.
Four unleaded avgas candidates are currently undergoing development and testing through two pathways: the FAA's PAFI program (using ASTM consensus standards) and proprietary Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs), with GAMI's G100UL having received STC approval but not yet widely available.
Beyond octane, industry leaders are calling for comprehensive evaluation and transparency on critical fuel characteristics, including toxicity, materials compatibility, stability, vaporization, density, and impact on fuel controls, to ensure safety and suitability for the diverse GA fleet.
A methodical and transparent transition plan is crucial to ensure a commercially viable unleaded fuel is widely available before any premature bans on 100LL, aligning with the 2030 target to prevent disruptions to general aviation operations.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The clock ticks louder each week, it seems, as pressure grows to move forward with a viable replacement for the primary unleaded avgas in use in the general aviation fleet. And we need more transparency on the process—and the very recipes for the fuels in question—according to industry leaders.

To focus a lens on the issue—and compel critical questioning to the process—the General Aviation Manufacturers Association on Monday hosted a roundtable of stakeholders to the EAGLE (Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions) initiative to give an update on how things stand. The initiative seeks a complete replacement of leaded fuel by no later than 2030, with a sunsetting of the fuel while maintaining a high level of safety in GA operations, which it primarily affects.