A very big deal -- FAA Approves G100UL for ALL GA piston spark-ignition aircraft

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MackAttack
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Re: A very big deal -- FAA Approves G100UL for ALL GA piston spark-ignition aircraft

Post by MackAttack »

I think this is overall very positive, although there will be a cost increase of some amount as noted. The FAA has looked pretty bad on how they handled this and was catching a lot of flak from both parties in Washington, plus industry groups - all of which criticism was justified. At least they responded but it took basically a tidal wave of bipartisan and industry outrage to get them to move what was a tiny needle.
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Rich
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Re: A very big deal -- FAA Approves G100UL for ALL GA piston spark-ignition aircraft

Post by Rich »

We seem to be starting to get facebook-worthy posts here.
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chili4way
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Re: A very big deal -- FAA Approves G100UL for ALL GA piston spark-ignition aircraft

Post by chili4way »

I asked Diamond Support if Transport Canada (TCCA) has anything to say/approve regarding this FAA STC as the TC for the DA40 is held by Diamond Canada. I suspect not, especially for planes registered in the US. The question is of interest to owners & fleets ordering new DA40-XLTs and owner/operators outside the US. Will report what I learn.
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Derek
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Re: A very big deal -- FAA Approves G100UL for ALL GA piston spark-ignition aircraft

Post by Derek »

waynemcc999 wrote: Thu Sep 01, 2022 11:39 pm
Boatguy wrote: Thu Sep 01, 2022 11:25 pm This doesn't affect me, but how do they enforce the need for the STC? Honor system?
Russ, I don't directly know the answer wrt enforcement. I recently purchased the Swift Fuels UL94 STC and yesterday had it "installed" by my A&P. All "install" means is my A&P filed some papers to the FAA, gave me those papers to put in my a/c logbook, and he put a sticker on each wing by the fuel cap (as Rich noted) that says I can burn UL94 as well as 100LL. I assume the same process will play out for G100UL. Therefore the only likely enforcement is that the person (owner/operator, FBO) who fuels the aircraft must abide by this sticker.
Does this STC allow us to run 94 octane “super” cargas? If approved is there a downside to running 94 octane cargas if it’s specified as no ethanol? That would be massively cheaper.

Second, it baffles me that GA is still using lead when it was so easy to move cars off it. I have a few older cars built during leaded gas years and they run unleaded just fine. What they don’t like is ethanol in the gas because it eats older rubber seals.
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Rich
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Re: A very big deal -- FAA Approves G100UL for ALL GA piston spark-ignition aircraft

Post by Rich »

Derek wrote: Sat Sep 03, 2022 2:37 am Does this STC allow us to run 94 octane “super” cargas? If approved is there a downside to running 94 octane cargas if it’s specified as no ethanol?
I seriously doubt that.
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OriensFlight
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Re: A very big deal -- FAA Approves G100UL for ALL GA piston spark-ignition aircraft

Post by OriensFlight »

I don't know what's worse, getting leaded fuel on our hands as we refuel and sample 100LL or potentially breathing in leaded exhaust as our aircraft are idling on the ground on a windless day. I suspect us pilots receive far more exposure to lead than the typical airport neighbor. If we encourage our airports to look into the possibility of switching, we'll at least be ahead of the game and be seen as 'good neighbors', for whatever that's worth.
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Re: A very big deal -- FAA Approves G100UL for ALL GA piston spark-ignition aircraft

Post by perossichi »

Im very much looking forward to buying unleaded gas. It is not practical to have more than one grade of fuel at an airport. 100ul works in every engine. Those folks with high performance planes need higher octane. This makes 94ul a non starter.

As has been pointed out, you won’t need to change oil as frequently. Sticky valves are caused by lead bromide deposits. This will go away. Spark plugs won’t get fouled by lead. You cant use synthetic oil because it can’t scavenge lead. Eventually we will be able to use synthetic oil which lasts longer.

Engines won’t need to be overhauled so frequently as the lead sludge will go away.

This will save a lot of money and avoid many headaches.

But the most important aspect is those nuts who are looking for any excuse to close airports will be deprived of one of their most potent arguments. This is a huge problem and represents the single largest threat to GA. You hear people talking about “crop dusting with lead”. It doesn’t matter if this is a valid environmental concern — the optic is horrible and makes for nasty political discussions that we can’t win.

I’m at VNY. All it takes is some whack job on the LA city council to ban lead and largest ga airport in the world bans piston GA. BTW, those people who fly jets couldn’t care less and the jet operators want us to leave so they can take over our ramp space.

Now we have a way out. We need to embrace it or face extinction. I kid you not.
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Re: A very big deal -- FAA Approves G100UL for ALL GA piston spark-ignition aircraft

Post by krellis »

Given that current ethanol subsidies (tax credits) are on the order of $1.01 U.S. per gallon under the guise of promoting "clean air", it seems like a subsidy for the incremental cost of G100UL versus 100LL would be a no brainer

It appears we sell 413,000 gallons of 100LL per day here, which is only 153 million gallons per year. Even a $1.00 per gallon subsidy would be a rounding error in the current administration's giveaways.
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Re: A very big deal -- FAA Approves G100UL for ALL GA piston spark-ignition aircraft

Post by Colin »

Every administration has support the fossil fuel industry, so that is unnecessary political commentary.
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Re: A very big deal -- FAA Approves G100UL for ALL GA piston spark-ignition aircraft

Post by Bernie »

If we use 100UL or 94UL, will the fuel gauges still work?
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