Oops, posted in wrong place.
“Why do we even continue to put up with this from our government agencies. It’s truly a puzzle.”
The short answer is, “Because the agencies can get away with it.” Congress has abdicated its power and allowed the Executive to become much more powerful than it was supposed to be under the Constitution. Yes, write your Representative and tell them to put their big … uh, person, pants on and do what the framers of the Constitution intended: represent the people and properly oversee what the Executive is doing.
Many years ago my father, a retired Naval Aviator and then active GA pilot, was a member of the US House of Representatives. During that time he was on an official visit to Israel, a function of being a member of the House Armed Services Committee. While there he was invited to fly a training hop with the Israeli Air Force in the then-new Kafir fighter. He accepted. (Wouldn’t you?) One of the interesting things is that, at the time (late 1970s) all Israeli training hops flew with full live munitions just in case someone wanted a repeat of the 1973 war. He was asked if he was willing to engage in combat should the need arise. He readily agreed. The State Department, a function of the Executive Branch, had apoplexy and forbade him from flying the hop. He pointed out the separation of powers clause in the Constitution and explained to the US Ambassador that the Executive branch had no power over the Legislative branch. He flew the hop. For the rest of his life the picture of him sitting in the Kafir with his Israeli IP resided on the wall of his office.
So, yes, the Congress can tell the Executive what to do, or to go pound sand for that matter, as the case requires. Time to get them to do their jobs.
It’s Deja Vu all over again. Look to Europe. Ethanol free Mogas and diesel at most GA airfields, delivered by the same fuel providers who deliver Jet-A and Leaded Avgas. The worlds largest aircraft engine maker, Austria’s Rotax, designs its engines to run best on ethanol-free mogas. The largest light aircraft manufacturer in the world, Italy’s Tecnam, has a policy that all its aircraft will run on mogas, they do not need leaded fuel. 80% or more of the piston engine aircraft fleet in the US will run on Mogas with the STC’s that the EAA and Todd Peterson pioneered. One of the rising stars of homebuilt power plants, Viking, sell engines derived from auto engines that of course run best on Mogas. But our out-of-Touch government and the out-of-touch Aviation Alphabets are still beating the dead horse of a single replacement fuel. Is it all being dictated by COPA and the Avgas providers? If so, they are shooting themselves in the foot.
Ethanol may not be pumped through fuel pipelines thus we will always have ethanol-free Mogas. That crap is mixed into ethanol-free gasoline at terminals, ruining an otherwise great fuel just to line the pockets of big Ag and companies that build ethanol plants, like Fagen. See pure-gas.org for thousands of sellers across the country.
"Today is D-Day. Consider two things:
- The sacrifices that Greatest Generation Americans made, so we could be free.
- Today’s “leaders” likely would surrender to a Hitler or a Tojo.
And this is “progress?” Woe betide us, and all of humanity."
I hope this can be turned around. You only get so many chances. I think we’re on our last one.
You have to be able to look beyond the end of your nose. We are in this mess today because no one has.
Sorry Gary. My comment was meant for Kent.
You have to be able to look beyond the end of your nose. We are in this mess today because no one has. Last chance.
I’m apparently the only one to think we shouldn’t be rushing to help GAMI, but rather should be whole-heartedly behind EAGLE.
What’s the problem?
Intellectual Property Rights
All you have to do is do a tiny amount of “let’s imagine” to see we’re slamming ourselves headlong into a world of pain if GAMI “wins” here.
So, let’s imagine:
- G100UL comes out, even in trifling amounts.
- EPA, state-EPA equivalents, cities and the rest say, “Why are we still selling leaded fuel? The unleaded stuff only costs (let’s exaggerate) 50% more, and we no longer have to expose everyone to neurologically deadly lead.” So, 100LL is banned.
- There is now a single source of legal fuel in the entire country for high compression piston engines. …And it’s controlled by a single company who has 100% control over both its production and consumption.
Uh-oh. Now we’re screwed. And we asked for it…
-
GAMI can now charge whatever it feels like. How about a “GAMI Prime” subscription to be allowed to continue to buy gas? Only $100/mo whether you buy fuel or not! How about a yearly “GAMI Inspection” that’s required to “ensure your plane is working it’s best”? GAMI now gets to charge A&Ps for the license (and “training”) to perform such an inspection, and charge you for getting it done. How about required “GAMI Insurance” in case you ever have a problem that’s provably due to fuel (good luck), they’ll cover some small portion of it. How about a STC transfer fee (and inspection and application fee) every time you sell your plane?
-
FBOs have scrambled to buy licenses from GAMI to sell their fuel and invested in whatever their “approved” tanking and pumping infrastructure is. When (hopefully) a second 100UL comes out, do you think the FBO can pump both? Or switch over? No, of course not! GAMI surely will write their licenses such that the FBO is committed to only pumping their gas. The FBO will need to reinvest in all new equipment for fuel #2, assuming GAMI didn’t lock them into an exclusive for years to get the license in the first place.
-
GAMI becomes a $100B+ company. We’ve never had problems with huge companies (and especially monopolies) becoming corrupt. Ever! ENRON was a fluke. Standard Oil was easily dealt with by Congress inventing the entire concept of anti monopoly laws. Certainly our Congress is far more functional now!
Please. Cheerleading a company (not a person, despite how often they bring out Santa-Claus-look-alike Braly to appeal to us) being handed a monopoly is naive at best. I love you Paul, but you’re missing the obvious and deeply troubling result of GAMI winning without EAGLE.
What engines does Tecnam use?
I thought it had US engines in the airliners it sells to Cape Air.
Or does the excessive ‘Soar Higher’ splash on its web site mean it only makes gliders? (Yes, I think most marketing people are idiots.)
Answer buried in user unfriendly web site is ‘Lycoming’.
Well, firstly I suggest another company will develop a fuel - what happened to Swift, wasn’t it blessed by FAA?
Braly will certainly charge for his work, as he should, but I predict not outrageous - he can retire on royalties. (He did not want to be in the refining business, but rather licence his IP. Has he not done that?)
Homework?
Valid concerns, except that GAMI has stated they will not be the producers of the fuel and will offer the formula to anyone who wants it (I don’t recall their specific wording, though). I seem to also recall that GAMI initially wanted to be a part of PAFI, but that they were denied for some reason. It smells like someone is paying someone off, and that whoever they are, they don’t want GAMI to be a part of PAFI/EAGLE.
Okay, $100B is ludicrously large. But that possibly makes it worse. Will anyone take action on a monopoly that only us “rich private airplane owners” complain about? Especially with Inhofe retiring?
What are you babbling about?
Paul asked, “Why do we even continue to put up with this from our government agencies?” Because, deep down, most people want a king. Self determination is so exhausting.
“Why do we even continue to put up with this from our government agencies. It’s truly a puzzle.”
It certainly can appear puzzling, but I respectfully submit if we examine a bit further, maybe some pieces will fit together, imho.
Liberal democracy is government by the consent of and authority granted by the governed. The people agree, mostly tacitly, to rely upon majority vote on policies and representatives in government.
I feel that agreement is moral and intelligent in intent, but whether it’s moral or intelligent in practice depends upon the people. Our problems are not due to capitalism or socialism or fascism or racism or wokeness or denial of science or the infusion of religion or the greed and ignorance of elected officials.
We fight and struggle from a failure to hold to the consensus - that which is based upon mutual interests and trust, because we have forgotten that the foundation and success of our polity is working together by mutual agreement. And as Yars voiced, our growing self-absorption ethos blinds and blocks any channels to awareness of this vital consensus.
We just cannot seem to understand how truly important that is anymore. Present company excepted, of course. ?
At least George and Team have AOPA fighting along side… OH wait… never mind.
I took AOPA off auto-renew. Guess the small GA guy or company isn’t worth the attention for public support.
I’m curious to know how an unleaded fuel will work long term with air-cooled engines with high CHTs.
You’re missing the point. You don’t need to be the producer of the fuel to be in 100% control of the production and consumption when you have IP rights. Of course GAMI will offer to license their patent to anyone (who pays enough).
You’re confusing old economy ways of making money (e.g. by having a big expensive refinery that’s expensive to build and operate and acts as a nice barrier to entry) and the new economy (collecting licensing fees because you have exclusive rights).
Capitalism does not reward people who charge “reasonable” royalties. It rewards people who charge painful-yet-juuust-barely-acceptable-to-the-market prices. Attributing “he’ll do right by us” to someone you’ve granted unlimited power to is too optimistic for the current state of mankind for me to swallow.
Have another company launch a fuel is a primary focus of EAGLE. If you can at least get a counterbalance to GAMI, much of the problem is solved. Without it, we’re asking for pain.