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 […]
Aviation Fuel
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 […]
Aviation fuel and the 70/30 mantra
Over the past few years, a debate has raged over the best way to reduce our dependence on avgas in North America, one of the last places on the planet where leaded fuels remain in use. There are two “camps” of thought. The first one, consisting of the leaders of most aviation alphabet groups (with […]
Take the guesswork out of fuel decisions
Cockpit Apps, maker of the flight log app iLOG, has launched iFUEL, which helps pilots take the guesswork out of fuel decisions. The app, available through iTunes for the iPhone and iPad, takes into account fuel prices at each destination, burn rate for the specific aircraft, and ramp fees. It even takes into consideration the […]
Predictions: Aviation fuel in 2013
Early January is a time to review what transpired in the past year and make plans for the coming one. Fuel being consistently named by aircraft owners as their number one concern, it’s appropriate to review trends in recent years and make some predictions for 2013. The U.S. Energy Information Administration provides a wealth of […]
E95 adds mogas
Ron Wiener, a Cessna 182 owner from Tucson, recently reported to us that the Benson Municipal Airport (E95) in southeastern Arizona now has 88.5 AKI mogas for sale. This was confirmed in a phone call with Roy Jones, manager of the FBO there, Southwestern Aviation. Not only is Benson the first airport to offer mogas […]
What fuel does Santa burn?
As Christmas approaches, we wondered what fuel Santa Claus will be using this year? With the average price of avgas having risen from $1.81 in December 2008 to nearly $6 in December 2012, the nice folks up on the North Pole must be thinking about alternatives, just as many pilots are these days. The image […]