Originally published at: Judge's Optimism Clouds Fuel Ruling - AVweb
Aircraft development was pretty straightforward for the Wright Brothers.
Innospec is certainly NOT “the only company in the world that legally makes tetraethyl lead”, and avgas containing the alternative TEL from another manufacturer is sold across the world in dozens of countries in both hemispheres, every week of the year and has been for some years now. I’m not sure why people persist with spreading ‘non-facts’, but there has been a hell of a lot of non-facts spread around the world ever since this fuel debate began a decade ago. Many from people who don’t have a clue of what they are talking about.
From Russ: Give us a name. I’ll call whoever this TEL manufacturer is today.
Here is an excellent explanation of the why and how of the REV Force engine by Alpha-Otto Technologies.
The engine is a new design still in the testing phase. The engine produces 220 HP, weighs ~55kg. Able to run on nearly any liquid or gaseous fuel without modifications and reduced emissions, and can switch between them on the fly due to electronically controlled variable compression.
Adapting this 8,000 rpm engine for aircraft by adding a reduction gearbox and dual ignition seems like a worthwhile endeavor.
The inventors are seeking help to bring the engine to market. Their website https://alphaotto.com
Sorry, copy/pasted the wrong URL somehow. Here’s the correct one.
avgas containing the alternative TEL from another manufacturer is sold across the world
And yet, you’re unable to name them? That’s curious…
It’s actually strange that you’d say “And yet, you’re unable to name them” … no idea why you think I’ll tell you everything, but it’s in the fuel I sell, so I guess I know who and where they are… ‘over and out’ 
The unleaded fuel hassle is an example of what is wrong in American business.
The entire fight against GAMI fuel is about preserving the profit margins of the existing sellers of 100LL; a product that is bad for engines and people.
The GAMI fuel is more tested than 100LL; more provably consistent; higher detonation margins, less wear metals than 100LL, no lead to contaminate people or the environment.
What is missing is any form of ethics on the part of the businesses spending millions to perpetuate the harm of leaded fuel; simply to line their pockets.
Shame!
AOPA once published my letter in response to an engine management article. It went, in part, something like this:
In this day it’s ridiculous for a pilot to be mucking around with fuel mixtures, propeller speeds, waste gates, and the like - that’s what micro-processors are for. All you have to do is to get it certi…
I did discover that there is one ‘carve-out’ in US law regarding high octane leaded gasolines: high performance auto racing: NASCAR, ARCA, INDYCAR, IMSA, etc… [unsure about drag].
The super high power/blown engines in these racers are not possible without these ‘traditional’ leaded gasoline… Google ‘high octane racing fuel’.
I’m sorry, you sell a secret fuel? This whole article was about the difficulty of certifying things and your response was about how there is another TEL provider that sells fuel every week of the year but you won’t tell us what it is. I can only assume that’s due to certification problems?
Wrong. Indycar, Nascar, Arca, Imsa, and NHRA all use unleaded gas. Indycar uses 100% renewable ethanol made from Brazilian sugar cane waste. Nascar and Imsa use E15 unleaded.
Well, you are the one making the claim. Yes, there are three companies that sell TEL in the US, but it’s all made in the same Liverpool plant. I’m just wondering if you’re confusing supplier with manufacturer.
These Guys claim to be Chinese producers of TEL.
No, I didn’t try adding any to my cart.
Are you serious? The lack of depth of knowledge in this forum is absolutely astounding. You are aware that other countries do exist outside the USA borders? You do realise that the vast majority of knowledge and manufacturing expertise in the the world exists outside the borders of country where you reside?
No, I won’t give you any information as you seem to keep portraying yourself as an authority, yet what I read is pretty uninformed. Show me how good you are and go and find out who it is all by yourself. Forty years of knowledge doesn’t come for free ;).
From Russ: Give us a name…
Can you give us an accurate ‘Reply’ to name?
Sure. rniles@avweb.com
I’m pretty easy to find:)
Of course someone can build an engine and sell it for less 15k. There are V8 crate engines available producing more than 400hp for less than half of that.
The difficulty will be in getting it certified for normal category airplanes. How much will said certification cost, and how much will they have to add to the price of each engine to cover it? And how will they convince airplane manufacturers to use it, since they seem content to allow the current duopoly to remain? And how much will it cost to develop an STC for common makes and models? How much will that STC cost for the owner?
I continued to be baffled why this has been an issue for the last 40 years. The solution is simple:
- Start with a certified engine.
- Decrease the bore / raise the compression ratio to maintain bearing loads.
- Replace spark ignition system with mechanical injection system.
- Turbo-normalize it.
- Put Jet-A in the tanks.
Rinse and repeat for the various engine configurations. Do it right and the overall weight doesn’t change.
Benefits:
- Universal fuel for aviation, worldwide.
- Built-in emission control
- Problematic magneto system gone
- Nightmarish vacuum system gone, replaced by pressure system driven from turbo.
- The list goes on…
Why didn’t continental /lycoming think of this 40 years ago?
Thats fairly simple. When TEL disappeared from most fuels in the world, people who sold Lyco powered planes, pontificated about the low cost of AVgas in the U.S… claiming that it would be like this forever and then some. Hence, questions from the minor Europeans got ignored.
I remember it vividly: “There are more non registered planes being flown by non certificated pilots, in the state of Alaska than in all of crappy Europe combined”.
He looked at me and asked me which American aircraft manufacturer gave a s… about the small European market.