The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) recently flew a Falcon 20 jet powered by 100% unblended biofuel. “This historic flight symbolizes a significant step not only for the aerospace industry, but also towards advancing sustainable sources of renewable energy,” officials said in a prepared statement. “I have now flown the world’s first 100% biofuel […]
Aviation Fuel
EPA policies slowing storm recovery
The northeastern region of the U.S. is one of the RFG (Reformulated Gas) Areas where the EPA dictates the use of an oxygenate in gasoline to lower carbon monoxide emissions. In the U.S., ethanol is the most common oxygenate, in addition to it raising a fuel’s AKI (Anti-Knock Index, commonly called octane) rating by about […]
Israel’s CAA endorses mogas
Evidence of the continued worldwide expansion in the use of lead-free, ethanol-free mogas in general aviation comes from this report from Israel. Haim Zaklad, a private pilot there, recently requested details on our study of the FAA’s aircraft registry showing that over 80% of all piston engine aircraft could operate today on lead-free, ethanol-free mogas. […]
BP gives up on cellulosic ethanol
In news that is sure to send shock waves throughout the ethanol industry and the EPA, one of the world’s largest oil companies is shelving plans to produce so-called cellulosic ethanol from non-food plants such as wood chips and switchgrass. As described in an article from the Wall Street Journal, “BP PLC Thursday said it […]
Commodities can lower the cost of flying
Commodities, by one definition, are “mass-produced unspecialized products.” Typical traded commodities include grain, coffee, sugar, pork bellies, feeder cattle, industrial and precious metals, natural gas and oil. They are produced worldwide in enormous quantities, resulting in most cases in far lower real costs than a century ago when limitations to transportation and political barriers to […]
9I0 and HLM add mogas
Pilots in the Midwest have received some good news amidst the rising cost of avgas in recent months. Both the Havana Regional Airport (9I0, Havana, Ill.) and the Park Township Airport (HLM, Holland, Mich.) started mogas sales in recent months. With avgas prices averaging over $6 a gallon across the country, pilots in the Holland […]
Why does 100LL cost so much?
Recently, we received a number of emails concerning the cost of 100LL at various locations, as well as the cost of 100LL vs. Jet A. Obviously, there is still a lot of confusion about this, so I thought I would try to shed some light on the issue. When crude oil arrives at the refinery, […]
Fuel prices – How high will they go?
With vehicle fuel prices surging across the country, pilots are also feeling the pain at the airport pump, with the price for a gallon of avgas averaging more than $6 in every region, as reported by the website 100LL.com. According to statistics reported by AirNav.com, average prices for Jet-A remain about 50 cents lower, while […]
Self-service saves
Being well into the second half-century of my life, I vividly recall how, in 1973, the OPEC oil embargo, knee-jerk government-imposed price controls and the subsequent shortage of gasoline wreaked havoc on our nation’s economy. On my 16th birthday of that year, Nov. 6, I soloed an airplane for the first time at the late, […]