Originally published at: Colorado's Rocky Mountain Metro Airport Launches Unleaded Avgas
UL94 sales begin with state-backed price support and STC reimbursement.
It is unfortunate that the best and maybe the only current choice of an unleaded alternative to 100LL in the USA is Swift 94 UL. In Europe there is ASTM approved UL 91 and alcohol free 91 octane auto fuel available at many of their airports, and it is sold at a lower price than 100 LL without being subsidized. Part of the problem may be the fact that the FAA who promised a fleet authorization for ASTM approved UL 91 in the United States has not happened as they had promised, probably due to their incompetency.
In Sweden Hjelmco Oil has produced and sold unleaded AVGAS with nationwide distribution for 46 years at a lower price than leaded AVGAS. Currently Hjelmco AVGAS 91/96 UL (exceeds UL94 requirements) which has been on the market since year 1991 is sold at about 95 US cents/US gallon lower than AVGAS 100 LL. Hjelmco AVGAS 91/96 UL was approved by Lycoming already year 1995 in their SI 1070.
Taxpayers subsidize, government control, of a lower octane product.
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Details of overheating not reported.
For what engines does Lycoming’s Service Letter support Hjelmco 91/96UL?
Is the 1995 issue still current?
Lycoming has updated their Service Instruction SI 1070. Search on the webb for their latest issue. Hjelmco 91/96 UL has been listed there all the time since 1995 and up to today. Visit www.hjelmco.com for more info. There are lots of information in English too.
Swift 94 UL is NOT the only alternative. Gami’s 100 UL is approved for 100% of piston engine aircraft. That this is a publicity stunt to get citizen activists off politicians’ backs is patently obvious.
Swift is a bigger company than Gami and can afford to promote themselves to bureaucrats. And they gain more STC’s, and good publicity, at zero cost to them. I’m betting the press release for this article (with zero investigation by Avweb before publishing) was sent out by Swift fuels.
Many aircraft say to use 100 octane or higher. 94 will not suffice. End of story.
Thanks.
Much to wade through.
According to Hjemco their 91/96UL has some lead in it.
Lycoming SI 1070 latest edition is clear which fuels that are accepted.
All unleaded gasoline contains lead - the amount of lead is however so small so they can still be labelled as unleaded.
The Hjelmco 91/96 UL contains less than 0,0025 grams Pb per liter as per ASTM D3237, Maximum allowed as per the definition unleaded is 0,013.
The Hjelmco initiative as from year 1981 was furnished 100 % without subsidies from airports or authorities and has so been now for 46 years.
EASA allows the Hjelmco 91/96 UL AVGAS to be used without any STC.
BS! With around 200,000 small aircraft needing leaded avgas spread over the entire US, no reason exists for getting rid of leaded avgas. Especially since as these aircraft will be turning into antiques, they will need leaded avgas. Certainly looks like no one is looking or thinking ahead. Sad, sad, sad!!! Especially since over 635 Jetson 1s have been sold in the last 18 months which run on batteries and/or alternators. Avgas is history except in antique fixed wing aircraft!!! Why mess with an antique aircraft market? No reason exists? The blind leading the blind is offensive!!! Around 50,000 homebuilt aircraft do run on unleaded gas; except their reliability is in question!!! And these homebuilt aircraft engines are water cooled and why unleaded avgas works for them. Air cooled aircraft engines need a coolant for exhaust valves and nothing better than lead has been found for cooling exhaust valves in air cooled aircraft engines.
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