The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is encouraging pilots to comment on the FAA draft plan to transition the general aviation piston fleet to unleaded fuel by 2030. In a new video, NBAA Regional Director Phil Derner discusses why you should make your voice heard today.
You have until March 13, 2026, to comment at FederalRegister.gov
The do nothing FAA wants your comments to pacify people into believing they’re really going to do something constructive in the current leaded fuel debacle, that they have let go on for 40 years now with no meaningful conclusion.
The federal government has produced a program called EAGLE which has no real enforceable mandate and is meant to pacify, not to really produce a result.
It seems years ago that the FAA said they were going to give UL91 a fleet authorization here in the United States just like what they have in Europe, where this fuel is commonly available.
It probably would be available in the USA, but the FAA is either dragging its feet or has no intention of doing what it said it was going to do.
The UL91 which has an ASTM stamp of approval and might be available in the USA if the fleet authorization was ever approved, but so far all we have is a promise it will come soon.
The FAA is currently using the word soon but really they mean never.
It would certainly be good to include a docket number or any reference to the proposed draft plan. Yes, getting the lead out is always a good idea. So long as there is no ethanol involved anywhere, for most of the light GA fleet, whatever they do should be no problem. Once upon a time, we all burned 80 octane fuel, and that worked out fine for all the little guys.