While reading “Inclined to Liberty” by Louis E. Carabini, it struck me that chapter 29, The Hazard of Equalizing Consequences, describes what one often sees at publicly-funded general aviation airports in my home state of North Carolina. Taj Mahal-like, LEED-certififed terminals bristling with solar panels at rural airstrips where more coyotes walk the ramp than […]
Aviation Fuel
Sunset for avgas?
In recent months your bloggers have been contacted by a number of environmental reporters on the issue of leaded aviation fuel, for instance Sarah Zhang of Mother Jones, mentioned in this Jan. 28 posting. More recently, Rebecca Kessler, a science and environmental journalist based in Providence, R.I., published an article titled “Sunset for Leaded Aviation […]
Innospec news — a shot across the bow?
Early last week my inbox starting filling with breathless news that Innospec, the world’s last producer of Tetraethyllead (TEL), the amazing chemical compound that gives avgas such excellent anti-detonant properties, is planning to end production in 2013. Worse yet, according to an online article in Specialty Chemical News, the company had actually planned to stop […]
Swift Fuels inks deal with German firm
Swift Fuels, an Indiana company that is developing a replacement for 100LL, has inked a deal that will allow a German firm to develop and sell 100SF in Europe. The transaction allows Zweibrücken, Germany-based Swift Fuel GmbH to license Swift Fuel’s intellectual property and technical expertise. In return Swift Fuels has acquired a 50% stake […]
Innovations: Fill ‘er up
Michael Kilcher, a snowbird pilot who splits his time between Winter Haven, Florida, and Old Forge, N.Y., came up with his own solution for refueling his airplane. “Back in the early 2000s I owned and flew a Skyhawk about 200 hours per year,” he said. “I purchased a Petersen STC for it so I could […]
Maine seeks ethanol reprieve
We recently learned of a renewed effort by the Maine State Legislature to reduce or eliminate altogether the blending of ethanol in gasoline. As described in this article in the Maine Sun Journal, “A pair of bills introduced Thursday by state Rep. Jeff Timberlake, R-Turner, could have a significant impact on what goes into the […]
Mother Jones reports on leaded avgas
One of the positive aspects of dealing with aviation fuels is that concerns are politically bi-partisan among pilots, the media and even among elected officials. A recent example of this is an article on leaded aviation fuel written by Sarah Zhang, a contributing writer for Mother Jones, a magazine that describes itself as “a news […]
Search for 100LL alternatives continues, but slowly
The AVweb staff recently put together a comprehensive update on the search for alternatives to 100LL, detailing the latest from Swift Fuels, General Aviation Modifications Inc.’s G100, as well as the search for a drop-in, direct replacement for tetraethyl. The report notes that development “continues apace, although no clear winner is in sight.” Check it […]
EPIC releases iGo app
EPIC has releases the iGo EPIC app, which offers search functionality and fuel pricing for FBOs within the EPIC FBO Network. For EPIC Cardholders there’s an added convenience of getting account specific pricing by FBO location, company officials said. Plus, iGo EPIC offers quick access to Bravo Rewards information and account login. “It was important […]