By DEAN BILLING. Reading Ben Visser’s blog, More questions about ethanol, reminded me that December is the month the EPA is supposed to set the ethanol quotas for the next year. For the first time in several years, the EPA has published the quotas in accordance with the schedule set in the law EISA 2007. The EPA Final […]
Dean Billing
Rumors
By DEAN BILLING. There is a classic quote: “Rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated.” Although this blog is weeks after Oshkosh, any rumor that I wasn’t in attendance is greatly exaggerated. Granted, I drove from Oregon to Wisconsin, but I did actually attend and I can put a couple of rumors to rest. When I arrived […]
Oshkosh Bound: Has anything changed in the last year?
By DEAN BILLING. As I was preparing my motorhome for the trip to AirVenture 2016, it dawned on me that I haven’t written anything for the GA Fuels blog in quite sometime. Perhaps that’s because not much is happening in the aviation fuel arena despite the nagging problems of TEL contamination and the perceptible decline […]
The FAA’s Groundhog day
By DEAN BILLING. I’m submitting this blog on Feb. 2, 2016, Groundhog Day. I think it is the appropriate date choice for my latest GAFuels topic. It is the kind of day the FAA should get out its plan for the Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI), dust it off and see if there is a ray of […]
Another unintended consequence of ethanol in auto fuel
By DEAN BILLING. Even though the settlement accord of the CEH lawsuit in California opened up the opportunity to reduce the lead footprint around California airports, I can find no airports adding unleaded mogas infrastructure and no supplier of ethanol-free auto fuel in California. I think it is a lost economic and public relations opportunity […]
Is unleaded avgas coming to an airport near you?
By DEAN BILLING. Perhaps you noticed the announcement that Swift Fuels made at AirVenture 2015, which was also carried by General Aviation News. Swift Fuels has begun distributing 94 MON, unleaded aviation fuel to several airports and has begun a program to distribute it throughout the U.S. Airports currently carrying the new 94 MON unleaded […]
Good news — and bad — on GA fuels
By DEAN BILLING. As you might expect, there is good news and bad news surrounding aviation fuel. First the good news: A self-serve fuel system has been installed at Nampa, Idaho. (KMAN). An Oregon bill, HB-3193, that “increases license tax on leaded aircraft fuel,” stalled in the Oregon House Committee On Transportation And Economic Development and is […]
Taxing the lead out of 100LL
By DEAN BILLING. California was the first state to attempt to remove the lead from 100LL by lawsuit. Unfortunately, the result of the unsuccessful CEH lawsuit only increased the cost of 100LL in the state. Now, along comes Oregon, which wants to tax the lead out of 100LL. I have a feeling this method will appeal to […]
Result Of CEH lawsuit settlement: Were there any?
By DEAN BILLING. Late in 2011, a little known environmental organization, perhaps totally unknown in aviation circles, Center For Environmental Health (CEH) filed a lawsuit against “30 companies that sell and/or distribute lead-containing aviation gas (avgas) at 23 California airports, calling on the companies to provide safer alternative fuels.” At the time, there was some fanfare in […]