Really?
With no ASTM certification every distribution channel could be subject to scrutiny, and potential liability, for any engine/fuel system related accident in any aircraft using the fuel. What FBO’s lawyer would accept that?
Consider this from your FBO’s perspective … did the entire distribution channel completely clean out all trucks, lines, etc., before filling and shipping with G100UL? Or is there the potential of contamination or mixing of this fuel with any of the other fuels, or with 100LL? And what about the FBO’s own tanks? Or even in the aircraft’s own tanks! If the fuel has been potentially contaminated by mixing with other fuels, or if they can’t completely prove in court that it wasn’t, here comes the lawsuits - pointed at the FBO, not GAMI.
Considering that FBO’s now enjoy liability coverage via the fuel distribution chain (i.e., those silly truckers), that’s kind of a big thing.
And why won’t GAMI pursue an ASTM certification? Why won’t they let independent labs test their fuel in the same way as all of the others, who are going through ASTM certification?
I’d sure like the author of this piece to turn his hard eye’d journalistic investigation skills onto helping all of us to understand the real world complexities of the path GAMI is choosing. It’s easy to write “It’s not clear exactly why the fuel distributors are blocking sale of G100UL” … perhaps you need to do a little work to better explain that!