President Biden signed comprehensive legislation on December 29 that funds the executive branch for fiscal year 2023. The bill also recognizes the collaborative industry-government effort to move general aviation to a fleetwide drop-in, lead-free fuel solution no later than 2030 by including $10 million for additional unleaded fuel testing and evaluation.
In February 2022, aviation and petroleum industry leaders and the Federal Aviation Administration established a joint effort, Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE). EAGLE is focused on how our country can safely eliminate the use of leaded aviation fuel by the end of 2030 without adversely affecting the safety and operation of the existing piston-engine fleet. As a government-industry partnership, EAGLE is focused on four pillars, each led by an industry or government expert to:
- Develop Fuel Infrastructure and Access Viability
- Support Research, Development and Innovation
- Evaluate and Authorize Safe Fuels
- Establish Necessary Regulation, Policy, and Programmatic Activities
The funds allocated by Congress will support the EAGLE partnership and may be used to expedite fuel testing and evaluation for safe unleaded fuels being assessed in the Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI) program, leading to an FAA fleet authorization. Two unleaded 100-octane fuel candidates, those developed by Afton Chemical/Phillips 66 and LyondellBasell/VP Racing, are currently undergoing testing under the PAFI program, and are both showing progress.
Additionally, the funds may be used to conduct field demonstration programs for 100-octane unleaded fuels that have received FAA Type Certificate (TC) or Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) approvals. The STC process is one route fuel manufacturers can pursue with the Federal Aviation Administration. General Aviation Modifications, Inc’s., G100UL fuel received authorization via the Supplemental Type Certificate path in September. Swift Fuels expects to receive STC authorization of its 100R unleaded higher-octane fuel in 2023.
These funds may also be used to further advance research, development, and innovation to support both of these paths, leading to a possible update to FAA certification guidance.
The general aviation industry, under the EAGLE banner, is committed to working together to ensure industry consensus standards are met, and that a transition to an unleaded fuel is done safely and smartly.
