What Will Fuel Our Flight Training Fleets?

At Redbird Migration, industry experts address the question and offer limited solutions for now.

Friday, February 11, 2022 at 03:39 PM ET

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GAMA’s Walter Desrosier put it bluntly: the continuity of the avgas supply is key to the stability of the GA industry. [File Photo: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The flight training industry is pushing for a shift towards sustainable aviation, exploring electric, hydrogen, and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) technologies to reduce emissions.
A major concern for general aviation is the future availability of 100LL avgas due to its lead content and reliance on a single global manufacturer, with no universal drop-in replacement yet.
While unleaded fuels like UL91 and UL94 can power 67% of the GA piston fleet, particularly training aircraft, high-performance planes still require 100LL, prompting flight schools to proactively seek compatible unleaded options.

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Redbird Flight Simulations has contributed significantly to innovation in the flight training industry since it entered the market in 2007. So it makes sense that during the company’s annual user conference, Redbird Migration, the compelling need to evolve beyond current powerplant technology—primarily to enable sustainable fuel to drive those engines—would form a good part of the agenda.

Migration 2022 was held Tuesday and Wednesday this week at the Aerospace Center for Excellence’s Ramos Skylab at the Lakeland Linder International Airport (KLAL) in Florida.